Dubai Connect - First Hand Experiences
 

Feel free to merge if you think this doesn't belong in its own thread but I am hoping people can clear up some of the conjecture.

Does anyone have experience with the EK site saying that you qualify for Dubai Connect, you booking online, with a confirmation and then being turned away? I have 'booked' the service online and received a 'confirmation' which I took a screenshot of, but now the option has disappeared from the manage my booking feature.

Does anyone also have experiences of using the service successfully? Was this done online, by phone, at the airport etc?

Thanks!

I've searched an itinerary online, without any indication of qualification... then booked same itinerary on the phone, and proactively been told that it does qualify, had the reservations made then and there. Vouchers provided at check-in, seamless service.

This is good to hear. I'm booked in Y, booked the flights online and was told during booking it qualified and was able to book the Dubai Connect service after paying for the flights, but have heard from some that they might claim you should have taken a later flight from your origin point such that you wouldn't qualify for the service.

The website is still showing Dubai Connect as applicable for new bookings and the service appears in the Manage My Booking section with the note "Collect vouchers at check-in". Hopefully all goes well

EK is really playing games with me. I booked and confirmed the service, but it "disappeared" from my MMB. So I paid for another hotel. Now it's back! I don't know what to do - ideally I would take the free hotel but I can't risk being stuck in Dubai without a booking.

May I suggest you call your local EK office to arrange booking. I am travelling EK in J in May/June and qualify for a hotel on my return from Germany. I called the local EK office here in Brisbane, gave them my booking reference and within minutes a booking appeared in my booking in the "Dubai Connect Booking" field with the remark that I need to collect my voucher at check-in in Munich. Good luck.

Cheers from Brisbane,

pswissoz

Just out of curiosity: What are the qualification criteria? Length of layover in Dubai? Or timing of layover? What about the routing - would an intra-ME routing qualify (RUH-DXB-DOH with layover)?

I think its their website. I had this exact same thing happen to me, booked the DubaiConnect, then it disappeared from the website for a period of time, then came back. When I travelled I got the hotel, no issues.

Clarification: I have called EK and they have said the booking is valid but they have been wrong about other things in the past!

Thanks!

It really it a mystery.

The rules that everyone agrees on:

The layover must be 6h minimum for F/J and 8h for Y. And you must be booked on the first connecting flight from DXB to qualify.

The rules that people are unsure about:

It used to be based on the fare class / RBD but now EK seems to be using some new criteria like fair paid.

There is also some debate as to whether the first flight you take is relevant. I think the easiest way to explain it is with an example

Suppose I am flying ZRH-HKT.

ZRH-DXB has 2 daily flights, one which dep/arr at 1535/2340 and another that is 2215/0620+1

The flight to HKT leaves around 1030am.

Now there is disagreement to whether you would qualify for the service if you took the first flight (arriving at 2340) and then had an 11 hour layover as the first flight to HKT is not till 1030. Some argue that you could have taken the 2215/0620+1 flight and therefore do not qualify but others say you still do.

Just an update:

I had no problems collecting the voucher at JED for my hotel. I was booked JED-DXB EK802 connecting to DXB-IAD EK231. I could have taken a later JED-DXB to make my connection in DXB only 3 h, but still received the hotel.

Hotel wasn't very nice - but it was free!

Good to hear! Were you travelling in Y? May I ask what the hotel was? Trying to figure out where I'll be staying for my stopover :)

I've got one coming up on the 19th, arrive into Dubai at 8 at night, and depart at 03?? so just enough time to clear Immigration, get to the hotel, a quick shower and snooze, before dashing back to the lounge !