9 Hour stopover in Dubai

SarahMollie

I'm off on holiday soon and have a 9hr stopover in Dubai - arriving just after midnight and then departing just after 9am. All flights are with Emirates and its just myself and himself traveling.

Am I mad to think about leaving the airport or mad not to?

Also, what could I do in the middle of the night?

Are there any visa issues and how far in advance of my onward flight should I be back in the airport (I don't want to cut it too fine!)

coylemj

I'd seriously think about renting a room and having a good kip and a shower. Don't know about availability but major hub airports always have several hotels in the area.

conor_ie

Emirates have their own hotel in Terminal 3 in Dubai, you may be entitled to a room because your stopover is over 8 hours.. maybe something to check!

dory

They also have lots of loungers. Look like a sun lounger but made of leather. I usually sleep on them when I have a stop over. Place is empty over night and they're always free. But if you can get a room somewhere v close that might be better.

TimHorton

"Place is empty overnight" LOL Dubai Airport operates 24/7 , 3 in the Afternoon is the same as 4 am with flights arriving/taking off every 5 mins

SarahMollie

Thanks all for the suggestions - I guess my worry about leaving the airport to get a hotel is that after a day of just sitting on a plane, that I wouldnt be tired enough to sleep. It will be after midnight local time, but my body clock will only think its a bit after 9pm.

If there is genuinely loads to do in the airport we might be able to entertain ourselves for a few hours and then sleep where we can for a few hours once we start to feel tired. If we do stay in the airport I'm definitely going to look into using the Emirates lounge. Anyone know how much it is? The website only says "a minimal cost" which is a bit vague!

Also, we'll be getting on another 7ish hour flight out of Dubai so it might not be the worst to be exhausted at that point so we can try to get some sleep even though it won't be that comfortable.

woodzie

If your flight stopover is longer than 8 hours then Emirates provide you with a hotel room. It's a service called Dubai connect, see more info here https://www.emirates.com/ie/english/plan_book/essential_information/dubai-connect/dubai-connect.aspx . I've used it twice and it was excellent. You can go get showered, relax and get some sleep or if you want some food. They take you to and from the airport. The hotel will also give you a wake up call to ensure your in time for your flight. The service is free so you may make the most out of it.

delricyo

A friend of mine had a 10 hour stopover and decided to go to the city centre. He said it was hardly worth it after clearing customs etc.

I had 8 hours before. I paid for a room airside. It was expensive, but great to wake up and walk to the gate with no security screenings. It might be worth looking into it especially if you have a long second flight ahead of you

crisco10

We had 8 hours overnight in Dubai and did get a taxi down to jumeriah beach. It was grand...went for a coffee and a stroll and a paddle. Then got a taxi back past the burj etc. Ònly took about 4 hours in all so was back in airport in plenty of time. Much better than hanging around the airport..

cournioni

They have sleep pods which you can rent for a few hours to get a bit of kip between flights.

http://www.gosleep.aero/dubai/

Based on past experiences, getting a few quality hours sleep is an absolute must if you're heading further east.