Which itinerary to choose - need help!
 

My wife & I will be flying F (first time with EK) using miles and we have two choices. Help decide which might be better:
1 - EK206 - 22:20 JFK (MSP for 3 hours) DXB 22:55
4:20 minute layover then
EK354 - 03:15 DXB - SIN 14:40
Positive two short layovers
Negative leaving JFK late night might negate some of the benefits of flying F.

2 - EK208 - 16:35 JFK - DXB 14:05.
13 hour layover then
EK354 - SAME AS ABOVE
Positive earlier departure may make our first EKF flights a little more enjoyable.
Negative 13 hour layover, too long for F lounge? enough time for trip into city?

Thanks,
Pulley

Pulley, I'd personally go with #2 since this is your first flight with EK. The flight from DFW departs around noon and at this hour it makes for a nice afternoon to relax and enjoy "the F (or J for me) experience". On a late evening departure I feel I'm more concerned with getting some sleep.

13 hours is more than enough time to go into town. My wife likes the malls and when mom travels with me we go to Dubai creek. Its a great time to visit since you arrive at 14:05. You did not state which month your trip is, but presently the temperatures are quite pleasant to be outside.

I'm traveling the 30th of Jan. and have purposely booked myself an 11 hour layover before catching my JNB flight. (Somehow this still qualified me for "Dubai connect".) I will use this time to sleep, eat, shop, and shower prior to returning to the F lounge for a glass or two of wine prior to boarding.

Option number one with the 4:20 minute layover is too short for you to really do anything other than hang out in the lounge, which is great, but that's about 2 hours too long for me.

Hope this is helpful.:)

And I would recommend the first option. In EK F, there is really no 'late' departure (and the consequent reduction in service/experience) - what those of us in the US would consider 'late' isn't at all what people in the ME would consider so. I'd most definitely take the 10:30 pm departure from JFK and enjoy drinks, a nice dinner, perhaps a movie, and some good sleep time prior to landing at DXB. A 4-hour layover is VASTLY different from a 13-hour one, especially at DXB. Thirteen hours in simply not enough time to go into town and have any sort of experience except trying to get in all the sights, while at the same time watching one's watch! Do your first option!!!!

We are doing JFK-DXB and picked the late morning from JFK to enjoy the earlier part in the "daytime" then sleep at night and wake up at "normal" time in DXB. We are staying over for 2 days in DXB and would suggest you look at that if possible.

As said, looks like most of the late afternoon into the evening to spend some time in Dubai. The first class lounge in DXB is of course awesome, or so the reviews say.

Award seat availability may have some bearing on this. Another reason we are going earlier.. in case there are some flight problems, we have more options out of there the same day.

13 hours in any one place, even one as pleasant as the F lounge in DXB is way way too long for me

13 hours of plenty of time for a visit to the city

Option 1 would bother me as your trip is disrupted with the stop in Milan. This will likely cut into your sleep.

Option 2 allows for better sleep and getting adjusted while giving you some time for a visit to the city. You can take chauffer drive wherever you like and work your way back by taxi or metro.