Question for Dubai business lounge regulars
 

Hello!

I have heard a lot of bad things about the Emirates business lounge in DXB, particularly in relation to how busy it is.

I have a layover in DXB en route to Melbourne, and I was hoping to have a chance to relax and chill out in the lounge. I'm travelling on 777 both into and out of DXB, if that makes any difference.

I have two options for my layover - arrive at DXB 20:00, leave 02:30, or arrive at 00:25 and leave at 09:35. Would you expect the lounge to be busy during those times? Ideally I'd like to have a shower, get some food, have a glass of wine, relax, maybe get some sleep.

Not sure how realistic ANY of that is given what I've heard about the business lounge at DXB!

My other option would be to keep looking and find a shorter layover in DXB, if the consensus is that it's best avoided? I was just using it as a break from the flying on the long, long route to Australia.

I would go for a shorter layover. 2 hours is plenty to shower, eat and drink.

9 hours is a long time to wait around when you could be over half way to Melbourne in that time.

Also, its DXB.

Thank you nux, I just corrected the code now!

I could do a shorter layover from 00:25 until 02:40, or 07:20 until 09:35. I'm guessing the former would be less busy?

Personally I would book the direct A380 flight on EK406 rather than either EK404 or EK408 which has a stopover enroute and less comfortable J product.

Otherwise depending on where you are connecting from, I would book the later one which arrives in to Melbourne in the morning. I would not worry so much about how busy the lounge might be, but be more concerned about the departure and arrival times at origin and destination, and stopover time.

A lot better now than in years gone by. The opening of Concourse A (January this year) and the refurbishment of the former Silver Lounge in Concourse C has increased J lounge capacity considerably.

Agree with this, I hated the b lounge and now it is actually quite ok, still not as good as a gate but much better than 12 months ago...

The lounge it at its least busy state between 8:30 pm to around 11:30 pm during which you won't fine more than 30-40 people at the most. The footfalls then keep steadily increasing until about 2:00 am when the morning bank departures start to happen.

Thanks for all your help guys!

nux - you'll be glad to know I've opted to go with EK406 on my outbound and EK407 on my return. I'm excited! This will be my first time on Emirates, first time on the A380, and first time in business class!

I'm usually in the lounge between 1am and 6am. While I always tend to find Concourse B busy, I've never had any issues with the lounge in A. It always seems quiet and I always tend to find a space where nobody is in sight!

Agree concourse A lounge is much quieter

Hello OP,

I do not your travel dates. I would be concerned if UAE enforces Ramandan on travelers. I think this year, Ramadan is from July 9 to August 8.

If they do, the perhaps you should arrive at 00:25 and not 7:20 when it'll be daylight.

That might influence your decision.

David

Are you for real? You come out of no where with an assumption then suggest to the OP he should be wary?

Have you ever flown EK to begin with? If you don't know, the least you could do is ask.

Food is available around the clock in DXB and other airports in the UAE. Wine is seved too.

For the record EK had to be the most Ramadan-friendly airline I have flown with.

I did not mean to offend anyone. I apologize if I did.

There's another thread on FT that *everyone* in Saudia Arabia must fast during Ramadan because that's what the government said. Normally, when I go to a lounge, I expect to be wined and dined. I would be really disappointed if everything was locked up because I had to observe Ramadan.

That's all.

Nothing locked up in DXB. It's everything as usual at the airport. It would be bad for business if it weren't so ;-)

In Doha and Bahrain they cut out the alcohol, but the F&B outlets were otherwise all serving normally.

In Riyadh, I always head straight up for the lounge, and they were serving the usual plastic triangle sandwiches, canned soda, and crisps that they usually do. That place is creepy. It's like a time warp back to 1977 ;-)