Connection: 5 hours in Doha Al Safwa lounge or 23 hours in Abu Dhabi?
Feb 4, 2017, 11:58 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: EWR
Programs: UA 1k, AA EXP
Posts: 178
Connection: 5 hours in Doha Al Safwa lounge or 23 hours in Abu Dhabi?
So I'm wondering what you guys would recommend.
My wife and I are flying to CAI, on a NYC>DOH>AUH>CAU itinerary and have the option of doing all flights the same day (with a 5.5 hour connection in DOH) or flying to AUH (only a 1.5 hour connection in DOH), and spending a full 23 hours in AUH before flying to CAI.
In all honesty I'd probably prefer the stopover as we've never been to Abu Dhabi, but she may get a bit overwhelmed by being in the city for just 24 hours. Either way the benefits and negatives I see are as follows...
Doha:
Potentially more relaxing and the opportunity to check out the Al Safwa lounge (which is apparently one of the best in the world).
Abu Dhabi:
Great chance to see a new city and the added benefit of flying on an a340 to Cairo as opposed to a a320 (if we fly the same day).
Any suggestions? As a note, we could even do both (stay 5 hours in Doha then fly to AUH, but we'd get there at 3:30pm so I'm not sure if that leaves us time to do much).
My wife and I are flying to CAI, on a NYC>DOH>AUH>CAU itinerary and have the option of doing all flights the same day (with a 5.5 hour connection in DOH) or flying to AUH (only a 1.5 hour connection in DOH), and spending a full 23 hours in AUH before flying to CAI.
In all honesty I'd probably prefer the stopover as we've never been to Abu Dhabi, but she may get a bit overwhelmed by being in the city for just 24 hours. Either way the benefits and negatives I see are as follows...
Doha:
Potentially more relaxing and the opportunity to check out the Al Safwa lounge (which is apparently one of the best in the world).
Abu Dhabi:
Great chance to see a new city and the added benefit of flying on an a340 to Cairo as opposed to a a320 (if we fly the same day).
Any suggestions? As a note, we could even do both (stay 5 hours in Doha then fly to AUH, but we'd get there at 3:30pm so I'm not sure if that leaves us time to do much).
Feb 4, 2017, 12:12 pm
#2
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: AA LT Gold
Posts: 3,646
The Al Sawfa lounge is great. It is huge. Spacious. And usually not crowded at all.
there are private family rooms and everything else you can imagine.
I've 1.5 hours or 2 hours connection there which seemed to short to enjoy the lounge. 5+ hours will be fine. Time will fly.
No way I would choose a 23 hour connection even if it was in a real city like Amsterdam or Zurich. Abu Dahbi? Mehh.
there are private family rooms and everything else you can imagine.
I've 1.5 hours or 2 hours connection there which seemed to short to enjoy the lounge. 5+ hours will be fine. Time will fly.
No way I would choose a 23 hour connection even if it was in a real city like Amsterdam or Zurich. Abu Dahbi? Mehh.
Feb 4, 2017, 12:36 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 1,309
abu Dhabi is a great place for a 24 (nearly) hour layover. There's lots to see and do. I would totally do it. The mosque is beautiful and a must see. Walking along the corniche is beautiful and nice. The beaches - particularly Saadiyat Beach - is beautiful too. I'd recommend it. Let me know if you need hotel/ food recommendations - there is a lot of good to see. Not every day you get to see something different. And at the end of the day, a lounge is a lounge.
Feb 4, 2017, 1:34 pm
#4
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
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Feb 4, 2017, 2:23 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,455
1.5hr will get you (probably, if on time arrival) just enough time to sample Al Sawfa, and considering that you actually want a quick city trip to Abu Dhabi, I'd say go with the 23hrs layover (with the widebody to CAI as a little bonus)
For 23hrs in Abu Dhabi, you can get a rental for dirt cheap (1 day rent is like 20$) and you can drive everywhere yourself. Must sees, as others have described, is the big Mosque, I'd also visit the F1 track area (if you're into motorsports) and/or the Yas Mall. One of the nicest malls imho. I'd skip on Ferrari world, though.
Abu Dhabi, the city itself, is much less "fancy" than Dubai, and you can actually walk around in most of the city areas.. plus, it's smaller and much easier to navigate. If you like it a bit quieter, there is a huge hotel area on Yas island near the airport, with a private beach access included (if you don't want to stay in Abu Dhabi city centre)
Other things I'd recommend: Take elevator up at Lulu mall (on the island vis-a-vis Corniche) - not even needed to eat at the café at the top, the ride is free and spectacular enough
Apart from that, most things will depend on the time of the year you'll be there.
For 23hrs in Abu Dhabi, you can get a rental for dirt cheap (1 day rent is like 20$) and you can drive everywhere yourself. Must sees, as others have described, is the big Mosque, I'd also visit the F1 track area (if you're into motorsports) and/or the Yas Mall. One of the nicest malls imho. I'd skip on Ferrari world, though.
Abu Dhabi, the city itself, is much less "fancy" than Dubai, and you can actually walk around in most of the city areas.. plus, it's smaller and much easier to navigate. If you like it a bit quieter, there is a huge hotel area on Yas island near the airport, with a private beach access included (if you don't want to stay in Abu Dhabi city centre)
Other things I'd recommend: Take elevator up at Lulu mall (on the island vis-a-vis Corniche) - not even needed to eat at the café at the top, the ride is free and spectacular enough
Apart from that, most things will depend on the time of the year you'll be there.
Feb 4, 2017, 4:09 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 12
I think I'd be tempted for the extended stay in the Al Safwa lounge. Then again, I couldn't care less about the F1 or a mosque, and I hate going to Westfield White City down the road from my house so the idea of spending any time in a shopping centre while I'm on holiday really negs me out. I have been and I stayed in Raddison Blu Yas Island when I was in Abu Dhabi and I was happy there. In the hotel.
But, each to their own. If those sorts of things sound appealing to you, maybe the stopover. Al Safwa looks like the dogs though. I'll be there for the first time next month when I do LHR>CAI>DOH>JFK>FLL-MIA>EYW>JFK>CAI>DOH>LHR!
But, each to their own. If those sorts of things sound appealing to you, maybe the stopover. Al Safwa looks like the dogs though. I'll be there for the first time next month when I do LHR>CAI>DOH>JFK>FLL-MIA>EYW>JFK>CAI>DOH>LHR!
Feb 4, 2017, 5:15 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: EWR
Programs: UA 1k, AA EXP
Posts: 178
Thanks for the advice everyone. I think I'm going to go ahead with doing both (5 hours at the lounge and then onto AUH for 17.5 hours). The main thing I'd like to see in Abu Dhabi is the Mosque which is open late and I really don't have much interest in Yas or Ferrari World so I think getting into AUH later will be fine. Plus by spending the night we still get the big benefit of the a340 the next day.