Don't forget that award availability changes, and seats are often opened up nearer the time... I suggest monitoring the flights.... i.e check availability for the BA072/73 (LHR-AUH) for the coming weeks / months and see if / how availability changes (obviously ignoring Christmas and New year.)
I have often managed (at least ten times) to get seats on the Weds. flight- LHR- AUH or DXB.. (obviously Thurs /Fri is the week-end in the M/E) and return on a Sat/ Sun 3-4 or 10 days later, in Club, when they were initially not available. Good luck.^
You could also consider flying to Bahrain for a day or so and then hopping over to DXB from there