I wish you would have made me aware of CAI before I booked my other trips! Its actually 60% cheaper for me to fly to LAX from CAI in J than it is from KWI (AND THATS INCLUDING J TIX KWI-CAI) Arghhh I was planning it thru BHN which was a good $1600 and forgot about CAI completley! Which to me is a good $4500 in my pocket, and def makes the extra 6hrs of flying in the outbound leg worth it! (That would be KWI-CAI-DXB)
Here's a tip for someone planning from GCC looking for a cheaper J or F fare.
CAI only has to be your start place. For example to LAX you have to fly CAI-DXB-LAX. But on the return book a one month stop over in DXB, as soon as you land in DXB, cancel your DXB-CAI to avoid penalties and your entitled to a coupon which in my view Im happy to let go of and keep the OVERALL fare difference in my pocket.
Then book ANOTHER carrier DXB-GCC country and return home when you want too.
You'll avoid 6hrs of back and forth flight time of which EK is only 3hrs.
To me the miles arent worth it. But, after 15hrs in the air I'm willing to pass it and go to bed at home! Sorry for the thread creep but this is an idea of what I'm planning around now that whimike made me aware of the cheaper fare!