Originally Posted by
star_world
Do you have to go through London? I would just fly IAH-DXB on EK (brand new aircraft, good J and F product) and get a car service from DXB - takes <2hrs usually.
You'll get regular CO miles on the EK flight (not EQM though).
Have not flown Etihad yet so no opinion on them, have had many EK J / F trips and generally been impressed.
I do the London connection because the company pays expenses for a few days off there or Paris on the way back. And the 16+ hour direct flight back seems like it would be a few too long for me.