Leveraging a middle east trip

[albatross710]

In mid-May I have a requirement to be in Dubai for three days. Are there any interesting fares/tips for planning a trip there? I'd be happy to go via Philippines or Malaysia. If a redemption opportunity I have miles with Krisfyer for *A redemption.

I'm thinking of something similar to a Pacific circle fare....like the mid-east circle fare.

One thought which doesn't look too much more expensive is to book a BNE-Europe fare with Emirates and treat the three days as a stopover in Dubai.

My other idea at the moment is just a point-to-point redemption with SQ with a stopover in SIN.

Any experiences from experienced middle-east travelers?


Alby

 

[docjames]

- How much time do you have either side of the 3 days?
- Anything you want to see in particular?

I'd be more inclined to purchase segments to visit a couple of places.

If wanting a more circuitous routing, you could use OW/RJ via AMM and have a stopover in AMM. CX via HKG and have a HKG stopover. Or Jet via BOM (iirc) would be another option.

Also look at options into/out of AUH - depnending on fare and class of travel, you can usually get free transfer to your hotel in Dubai from AUH (or it's < $100 in a taxi).

So many options - you may have to be more specific about time / budget / class of travel etc.

 

[Taezar]

I would go somewhere else vs Dubai. Jump a flight the heck out for your stopover.
Yes, I can't stand the place. I am sure everyone here will disagree, but not my kind of town at all.

 

[docjames]

Oh, you could also side trip to africa (eg. NBO on EK - just ticket BNE-DXB-NBO vv).

 

[albatross710]

- How much time do you have either side of the 3 days?

I could justify 3 days one side of the trip as travel recovery time plus a weekend.

- Anything you want to see in particular?

I haven't traveled in the middle east other than a one night stop over on Emirates years ago. I'm opened minded. I would enjoy a traditional town for museums, classic sights.

I'd be more inclined to purchase segments to visit a couple of places.

I looked at a few segments with Gulf Air and flights are quite reasonable. This makes the booking process so much more flexible.

So many options - you may have to be more specific about time / budget / class of travel etc.

I can easily do a SQKF redemption in which case i would do a J class redemption, take daytime flights and stay overnight in SIN in one direction. Taxes would be about $600. Segment travel would then add $300-$400 onto this depending upon where I go out of Dubai.

Then I started looking at travel with EK. Ticket would be economy in this case. For not a lot more I could do a stopover in DXB, do the conference and then go onto a European spring couple of days. Time wise and geographically seeing as I am in middle east I'd prefer to access places that I haven't been. As my miles are with SQ, I rarely go via DXB.

Oh, you could also side trip to africa (eg. NBO on EK - just ticket BNE-DXB-NBO vv).

That's a good idea, I'll look into on emirates.com.

Thanks for the assistance.

 

[albatross710]

I am thinking of doing a redemption to CAI and making the Dubai business a stopover. It is the same region as far as redemption miles, so I will basically get the trip to Cairo for free. There is a little bit of juggling as the flights to DXB don't extend to CAI every day.

Anyone have an opinion (need I ask) on whether 2 days in Cairo is going to be realistic? I doubt I'll get to that region again for along time.

Alby