I noticed this in the Dubai Connect Terms and Conditions:

"Eligibility to ‘Dubai Connect’ will be determined against a minimum fare type paid for your Emirates flight. This is indicated during the booking process."

I don't know what the second sentence refers to. In what way is eligibility indicated during the booking process? I recall no reference to whether I was eligible when I was booking. Can anyone throw light on this? Is this a Flex/Saver issue (the first sentence refers to "fare type")?

Thank you.

Eligibility should be indicated during the booking process - if it's not mentioned then you're not eligible - in theory.

If it wasn't mentioned in your case, but your booking meets the other criteria, than one would assume you fell foul of the Fare Paid requirement, although no reason would be obvious to you as you book.

However, I wouldn't trust the website and would be giving EK a call.

Thank you. I certainly intend calling Emirates' at some point.

In January we are flying J class on EK347 KUL-DXB arriving 2230. We then have a 16.5 hour layover until we get EK25 DXB-GLA the following afternoon. We do not appear to qualify for Dubai Connect despite the interval between flights. When we booked Dubai Connect was not offered even if we had booked EK27 which departs at 0750 (an interval of over 9 hours).

Earlier this year, with the exact same routing and flights as we are booked on in January, Dubai Connect was available to us.

Is entitlement to Dubai Connect being uniformly applied across the network?

Remember, there is also the "Fare Paid" criteria as mentioned above and you haven't mentioned your fares or booking codes.

There does appear to be website issues with offering/not offering the service and I would be calling EK if I was you. If you are refused, please try and find out the grounds and post them here.

Since you are not taking the 1st flight out to GLA , then you are not entitled to Dubai Connect for this booking

If you are looking to change to the earlier flight, then give EK a call and check on whether your fare would be eligable

First direct flight or ...
 

Hi guys,
Not really sure if Dubai connect is allowed on this itinerary. The flight ARN-DXB arrives at 22:25. There is one direct flight to MEL leaving at 10:10 the following day while there is an earlier flight at 3:00 that makes a stop at KUL. Have chosen the direct flight in business because the arrival time is better, at 6:35am. Am I entitled for a free hotel accommodation? Thanks a lot :)

In all probability not, but always worth a try - no harm calling Skwyards to confirm.

Did you book the ticket on the EK website - if so, Dubai Connect eligibility would have shown up at the time of booking itself.

No. Since the 0300 service is a DXB-MEL service , that is a service that you could take ; it is just a choice to stay longer in Dubai

if there was a change of flights in KUL e,g, EK999 to KUL and then EK1111 to MEL , then you would be ok, but even though the 0300 flight stops in KUL it is a direct service to MEL

I find that a late night arrival into Australia is much nicer to reduce on "jetlag" since will arrive in at a time perfect for sleeping.

just as a data point for award flights (EK metal booked through QF) - we have the same scenario as above - taking to 1010 flight ex DXB (no availability on the 0300 service) and the flight is eligible for Dubai Connect.

That's why...

yes.. but the system is smart enough to work out 'next connecting flight' based on award inventory? makes it a pretty smart system :)

Thanks for the reply, jackiedada :) Have asked the EK agent who told me that my itinerary was not eligible.

Last August, I booked a flight (the inaugural flight) on the EK website which had Dubai connect eligibility on the inbound but it wasn't shown at the time of booking. The only time I learned I was entitled to it was when I called them for an inquiry and was told "Mr. --, you actually get a free hotel accommodation in Dubai...."

Hi Dave Noble and thanks for the reply. We actually have a group from Sweden arriving at 7:10 with Qantas so the later flight from DXB was much better for us ;)

O any FlyerTalker with a PhD in Emirates, please help me.

I'm considering booking CPT-IAD on Emirates in paid first (I'm not sure if award first or money first matter, so I'm including this fact). The itinerary includes a 20 hour 50 minute connection in Dubai. Do both First "Flex" and First "Flex Plus" allow for this program? The person at the Indian call center said I'd only find out once I purchase the ticket, which...well, I'm not going to purchase the ticket because I need to know the "all in" cost (meaning if the hotel is covered, I know the price right now, and if the hotel is not covered, then I'll need to factor that in or look at a different carrier).

So the net:

-Am I eligible for Dubai Connect? I will purchase via my TA in CPT and I'll ensure it's done on EK ticket stock.

-If I check in at the hotel at 06:00 and my connection to IAD departs at 02:20, May I use the hotel until, say, midnight? Or is the time limited? I saw no reference to limited time on the EK website.

Thanks all!