I will be flying Emirates via Dubai later this year on economy so I'll not have free access to their lounges at the airport.

However, on my return trip, I have a 6-hour early morning (2am to 8am) layover in Dubai and would like to be more comfortable at the airport during those hours.

So I am wondering if anyone here has paid to use the Emirates lounge before, or used Emirates FF points (I have a some but not much) in exchange for access? If so, how much? And was it worth it or should I just hang around the airport?

Closer to my departure date, I will of course call up Emirates to enquire about this. But I thought I'd ask over here first.

Thanks very much.

Janna, you might want to try asking this question over on flyertalk.com you might get more answers over there from the guys that fly into Dubai a lot. once you get to the site go to miles and points then look for emirates.. hopefully someone here can help also.

This should be the direct link there. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=490

Thanks! I'll try your suggestion.

I dont have personal experience of this lounge, but with a six hour layover I would certainly go for it. I have often paid for access to the 'special lounges' throughout the world and allways have been thankful that I did. ESPECIALLY on the return trip.

Dubai has plenty of facilities in the transit area, you can take a shower if you want ( nice and passes the time ), plenty of shopping etc.
Perhaps wait until you are there and then if you feel like using the lounge do so, easy and you are not committed to having used Miles or paid for something you end up not using.

Janna, did you see the responses over on flyertalk???

Thanks all, especially travelduo.

I'm in Asia so I went to bed after posting over at Flyer Talk as per your suggestion. Will check over there now (that site is rather slow for me though).

Thanks!

I've spent many hours in the Emirates lounge in Dubai and IMO it is nothing to write home abut and not worth paying for or using miles for.

It probably won't be too crowded at that hour (although many many flights depart or arrive around 2 am so it may in fact be standing room only in the lounge), but it's not a luxurious lounge in any sense of the word, in fact its a bit old in terms of the furniture. I don't recall any PC terminals; and there is very little in the way of food or drink. (It's nothing like say the Cathay lounges in Hong Kong airport). When it is full of people all talking on their phones, its hardly restful either....

I would suggest you skip the lounge and spend money for a shower and then maybe a real meal in a restaurant. There is plent of seating in the main areas and even some lounger chairs. The FF points are much better used toward an upgrade to a business class seat where you can get some sleep.

Agree with Cicerone. I have used the lounge once and its pretty decent but not luxurious as such. I don't think you should pay or use FF points. You'd be much better off hanging around the airports - lots of shops, etc.

I just wanted some place to rest so if paying doesn't necessarily get me a restful area, I'll probably skip the lounge idea. Thanks for the input of your experiences.

I've transitted at the Dubai airport once a couple of years ago but did not really explore it then. Don't recall seeing any more than some nice Duty Free shops, a couple of cafes.

Are there more extensive facilities available? I don't know what I could do between 2am and 8am if I can't find a comfy place to sleep. There's only so much I could shop and eat in the middle of the am.

I am also considering staying a day in Dubai itself. But I'd have to pay for 2 night's hotel stay seeing that I arrive at 1.30am on Day 1 and depart at 9am only on Day 3 (if I were to really make a stopover for 1 day). Doesn't sound like such a great deal also.

I'm travelling in May. There's time still for me to mull over this. Other suggestions welcome.