I have 8 hours to kill in dubai/dubai airport, suggestions?

[bigfatnick]

Hi, i'm just about to book myself on a mid october manchester to dubai flight, arriving in dubai at midnight, then 9am dubai to sydney flight.

I could have been intelligent and got the later manchester flight, but thats on a 777 and i fancied a go on a A380. Does anyone have any suggestions of cheap things i can be up with maybe 7 hours in the middle of the dubai night i can get up to?

Also, probably a daft question, but am i right in thinking i dont need any kinda of visa or USA style ESTA jiggery pokery to leave the airport?

Thanks

Nick

[Puggit]

Don't be tempted to buy duty free electronics - in my experience they are older models for the same price as current models in the UK.

[bigfatnick]

dont worry, i'm on an uber budget. Is the city worth exploring at this time?

[Howitzer]

I would pop to the Madanat and have a drink, something to eat.

Dave!

[v15ben]

Just make sure you get a stopover rather than just a transit. I spent 7 hours in the transit lounge last month and there isn't really much to do after you've wandered round a few shops and used the free wifi!

[Granville]

The airport is very expensive for pretty much anything - including the bars.

I'd take a good book with you if you're a transfer and not a stop over flight. There's not a massive amount of things to do if you're going to be stuck in the lounge waiting for your connecting flight.

[Puggit]

I've had a number of 4 hour stops there - found nothing to do except laugh at the weird toilets.

[K50 DEL]

Sadly at that time of night pretty much everywhere other than the airport will be closed (all the malls etc)
I would imagine your best bet will be to mill around the airport for a while, there are a number of decent shops to browse around.
If you have access to the lounges then the breakfast is OK and the showers are decent.....

I doubt it's relevent this time, but no.. as a British passport holder you don't need any form of visa etc to enter Dubai.

[Chilli]

There's a cracking bar (Irish bar) where you can sit in comfort drink and smoke. Perfect. There's always a load of English Rig workers in there that are always up for a friendly chat, an arm wrestle, and a game of "show me yours".

[bigfatnick]

Sweet, thanks guys. Just booked it tonight, leave manchester 3rd nov, land in dubai at 25past midnight, take off for aus at 10.15am. Ive never flown a "posh" airline, but i'm kinda looking forwards to flying the emirates A380, with its wide seats, legroom, and big tv! Hopefully a good experience!

[K50 DEL]

bigfatnick said:

Sweet, thanks guys. Just booked it tonight, leave manchester 3rd nov, land in dubai at 25past midnight, take off for aus at 10.15am. Ive never flown a "posh" airline, but i'm kinda looking forwards to flying the emirates A380, with its wide seats, legroom, and big tv! Hopefully a good experience!

Are you flying business or economy?

[worsy]

K50 DEL said:

bigfatnick said:

Sweet, thanks guys. Just booked it tonight, leave manchester 3rd nov, land in dubai at 25past midnight, take off for aus at 10.15am. Ive never flown a "posh" airline, but i'm kinda looking forwards to flying the emirates A380, with its wide seats, legroom, and big tv! Hopefully a good experience!

Are you flying business or economy?

[K50 DEL]

worsy said:

K50 DEL said:

bigfatnick said:

Sweet, thanks guys. Just booked it tonight, leave manchester 3rd nov, land in dubai at 25past midnight, take off for aus at 10.15am. Ive never flown a "posh" airline, but i'm kinda looking forwards to flying the emirates A380, with its wide seats, legroom, and big tv! Hopefully a good experience!

Are you flying business or economy?

The reason I asked is that in another thread the OP asked if anyone has flown on an A380 in economy to Dubai, so I wasn't sure.... as you say, the mention of wide seats and big TV would say business as that's certainly not what you get in a 380 economy section, but I thought it was worth checking.

OP if it is business that you're flying then head for the Emirates lounge in DXB airport, grab a shower, some breakfast, check your mails and then relax with a magazine.

[bigfatnick]

yeah, economy, but my usual form of travel is a thomas cook A330 from manchester to vancouver, 31inch seat pitch, 16.5inch wide seats, one tv, somewhere off in the distance and usually sat next to my brother, (i'm 6.3 and 19 stone, hes 6foot and 17.5 stone with elbows like sprung razors) so emirates 34inch seat pich, 18inch wide seats and proper in flight entertainment plus not being sat next to captain angry elbows make for a happy nick.

I fully understand that by PH standard i'm effectively wallowing in my own poo, but hey, life isnt exactly luxurious for me, im a ski bum, i aint even had my own bedroom for a year and a half. live in a hotel room with 4 dudes and my ski bum job is that basically im the garbage man for a hotel. i'm looking forwards to it

Edited by bigfatnick on Monday 6th September 19:49

[Puggit]

K50 DEL said:

worsy said:

K50 DEL said:

bigfatnick said:

Sweet, thanks guys. Just booked it tonight, leave manchester 3rd nov, land in dubai at 25past midnight, take off for aus at 10.15am. Ive never flown a "posh" airline, but i'm kinda looking forwards to flying the emirates A380, with its wide seats, legroom, and big tv! Hopefully a good experience!

Are you flying business or economy?

The reason I asked is that in another thread the OP asked if anyone has flown on an A380 in economy to Dubai, so I wasn't sure.... as you say, the mention of wide seats and big TV would say business as that's certainly not what you get in a 380 economy section, but I thought it was worth checking.

OP if it is business that you're flying then head for the Emirates lounge in DXB airport, grab a shower, some breakfast, check your mails and then relax with a magazine.

We don't all get to fly LHR-JNB in First

[Biggles111]

I fly Emirates through DXB quite often; I normally go for that flight as it gives me a 7 hour stopover. I then book myself into the Dubai International Hotel (its an in airport hotel, on the next floor up), no need to go through immigration. Not cheap, I think its around $150, but cheaper than upgrading to business and means you get a shower and a sleep and then work a full day without feeling exhausted. http://www.dih-dca.com/dihnew/default.aspx

[A1]

Get yourself to the business lounge upstairs. Was there on Sunday and even though I had a business class ticket and normally you are checked before entering lounge but dxb nothing of the sort. Walked straight In and as it early morning, full buffet breakfast, drinks etc all free

Also lovely sofas to chill out in and loungers to take a nap in. Worth a try

[K50 DEL]

A1 said:

Get yourself to the business lounge upstairs. Was there on Sunday and even though I had a business class ticket and normally you are checked before entering lounge but dxb nothing of the sort. Walked straight In and as it early morning, full buffet breakfast, drinks etc all free

Also lovely sofas to chill out in and loungers to take a nap in. Worth a try

They do seem to do it on trust in DXB, you're supposed to walk over to the desks on the RHS and let them scan your boarding card, I guess you could try and wonder in although there are often Emirates staff milling around near the entrance.

[A1]

The lounge itself is huge, too many people going in and out.

I'm going back there on Friday and see anyone says anything. I was just suprised how easy it was to get in.

Worth a try for the free food and place to have a kip for free

[Not Ideal]

bigfatnick said:

yeah, economy, but my usual form of travel is a thomas cook A330 from manchester to vancouver, 31inch seat pitch, 16.5inch wide seats, one tv, somewhere off in the distance and usually sat next to my brother, (i'm 6.3 and 19 stone, hes 6foot and 17.5 stone with elbows like sprung razors) so emirates 34inch seat pich, 18inch wide seats and proper in flight entertainment plus not being sat next to captain angry elbows make for a happy nick.

I fully understand that by PH standard i'm effectively wallowing in my own poo, but hey, life isnt exactly luxurious for me, im a ski bum, i aint even had my own bedroom for a year and a half. live in a hotel room with 4 dudes and my ski bum job is that basically im the garbage man for a hotel. i'm looking forwards to it

Edited by bigfatnick on Monday 6th September 19:49

hahaha great response.

Enjoy bud.