Many of the fares ex-US have a free stopover (sometimes two, both directions). I think in a older version of the Emirates website, there was a stopover selection option to specific whatever time in DXB in days. I have done this years back, but haven't tried successfully to do this in recent years.
Now, I am not seeing that option, so I am trying to see how else to have more than a transit break in DXB. I am not focused on any free hotel or other stopover benefits at this time. Here is what I was thinking when doing the DXB stopover before returning back to USA:
1) Entering number of days for DXB stopover (cannot find option)
2) Trying a multi-city search, but it never prices anything close to the round-trip fare (okay, I expect a slightly higher ticket total to compensate for the DXB stopover taxes beyond transit).
3) Trying via phone, didn't work or price anything close
4) Third party sites like ITA or Priceline (not working either so far)
5) Use some sort of visit Dubai part of the website to build the booking, but can't find it there either
6) Call in first 24 hours and move the xxx-DXB flight back to force the stopover time and hope it doesn't reprice significantly?
I wonder if multi-city should work as long as the stopover does not exceed the limit.
3 STOPOVERS PERMITTED IN EACH DIRECTION
LIMITED TO 4 FREE AND 2 AT USD 100.00 EACH.
2 FREE IN DXB
1 FREE IN EUROPE IN EACH DIRECTION
1 IN THE UNITED STATES IN EACH DIRECTION AT
USD 100.00 EACH.
INFANT IS FREE.
A STOPOVER MAY NOT EXCEED 14 DAYS.
NOTE -
STOPOVER FEE APPLIES TO ADULT/CHILD ONLY.
INFANT DISCOUNTS MAY BE APPLIED TO INFANTS UNDER
2 YEARS OF AGE TRAVELLING WITHOUT A SEAT.
Am I really not thinking correctly about how this used to be easier to do? It would make sense to have multi-city work, but it hasn't so far.
Help is appreciated in helping actually doing a stopover fare booking as self-service as possible.
Yep, doing multi-city does work.
The website will indicate the following statement