I’ve seen this in US departures and non-US ones. Can’t say I checked it for all EK destinations…

You have seen it in terms and conditions for both the US and other countries? Seems strange considering you can pay excess mileage charge including the US. Are you just referring to the default setting on the website booking?

I have not seen the timing in the T&Cs and am referring to the options when booking. Good luck negotiating this with EK and let us know.

Then you are incorrect. You can quite easily call to arrange a different time whether you want it to be earlier than the max time or later than the minimum time it allows on the website. No luck required I have done it many of times.

My responses were focused on LBBflyer 's post looking for a car the evening before the flight. That's not going to work.

You are quite right the restriction is within the same airport. I would suggest calling your local CD and asking. In other countries it is permitted to travel the evening before.

I think it may also depend on the provider of the CD service at the outstation concerned, as well as how the contract between EK and the provider is interpreted.
From my own experience and many comments I have read, the amount of flexibility varies.
The intention of the service clearly is to provide a service from and to the airport at (or around) the time of your flight. Of course you can try to 'game the system' and it may or may not work for you.

Completely agree rules will vary from country to country but the statement that there is a time restriction is completely false. In every country I have used CD I have always received a phone call confirming what time I would like to be collected regardless of what selections were made on the website. Not so much now but it was fairly common for pax to use CD to travel to an airport further away so they could fly on a 380 rather than a 777 - no time restriction. If you are staying in AUH you can book your vehicle the night before. In BKK I have booked both 9 hours before and two hours before - selections not possible on the website. Like most countries the US allows you to pay an excess fee to travel further so I am pretty sure they would not turn around and say sorry we can only pick you up 5 hours before your flight.

"Completely false" -- love the hyperbole. In New York (JFK), Blacklane is the provider. The relevant post from LBBflyer was to get a car 1) from LGA to JFK and 2) the evening before the flight. Those are two issues: the first black and white against the T&Cs; the other inconsistent with the intent of the program and maybe some other rule that we're not privy to or one between EK and Blacklane.

The first issue is easily overcome... just arrange to get picked up from a hotel at LGA. The second issue is up to Blacklane - they may or may not agree to the prior evening pickup.

Precisely, and the whole point of the forum is to offer insight or a work around to a question or a problem not just quote terms and conditions or make up our own.

First time using CD for upomming flights and not sure about how it will pan out.
Purchased tickets for my family, 4 people in J (flex) and i think were entitled to CD service. Questions are regarding what kind of car/van we can expect for 4 passengers with 4 checked bags and 4 carry ons?

Our itinerary is MIA-DXB-JNB and CPT_DXB-MIA. We need transfers in MIA to and from airport, in JNB on arrival and CPT for departure. We will also be staying in a hotel in DXB duing our 13 hour layover, will we also have CD there to and from airport? Thanks you in advance!

Having 4 paid J tickets and assuming they are not ‘special’ fare (in which case you are out of luck altogether), you can book 4 cars in each of MIA, JNB, CPT and MIA again. You do this via manage my booking on the Emirates website. Often you can get a minivan or other large car to transport all of you, but you willl have to arrange that with the service provider. Generally, you will get an email, a text message or a phone call between 24 and 48 hours before the flight giving you the opportunity to agree on what suits best. Of the stations you mention, I only know CPT (very well). The service is provided by Avis point to point and is very professional. They will contact you via email and give you a phone number so you can talk to them.
In a case like yours, and not knowing how the service is arranged in the stations where you go, I personally would book 2 cars (which will easily take the 4 of you plus the luggage) and when you get contacted you can ask for a van or something like that and cancel the other car.
As far as DXB is concerned: is the 13 hour connection the shortest possible? In that case you qualify for a car, hotel and meals at the expense of the airline. If you qualify, you can book this via MMB and you will be given vouchers when you check in in MIA (and / or CPT). If you don’t qualify for this service, you don’t get a car for a 13 hour layover.

If you contact EK customer service, they can put in the request for a van/large vehicle/SUV in advance. Do this for JFK all the time. When I receive the confirmation from Blacklane, it shows the SUv as the vehicle

Any idea who the provider is in Toronto?