Can I Pay for Lounge Access in Dubai Airport?
Dubai has become a tourist hotspot in recent years. Everything about the city is modern, innovative, and luxurious. With these luxuries comes a sense of exclusivity that not everyone can afford or is even allowed to experience. One such exclusive and somewhat secretive gem have always been the lounges at the Dubai Airport, which begs the question:
Can I pay for lounge access in Dubai Airport? For a long time, you could only access the lounges for the airlines you were traveling with; however, recently, Emirates has allowed Skyward members and their guests to pay for Business Class Lounge and First Class Lounge access.
Read below to find out what the conditions are to get access to these exclusive lounges, how much they cost, and what’s included. We have also included a few details as to what you can expect once you get inside and whether all the hype is worth it!
Paying For Lounge Access in Dubai Airport
In most airports, you can pay to access the first class and business class lounges of your respective airline regardless if you are flying economy class or premium first class. However, Dubai has always taken more of an exclusive approach to granting access to just anyone. So for the longest time, only Skywards business class and first-class members and flyers could access the respective Emirates lounges. Fortunately, this policy has changed.
You can now pay to get access to Emirates lounges at the Dubai Airport! To do so, you must first become a Skywards member. Don’t worry. It is free to sign up for a membership. Once you have done so, you can pay to get access to the business and first-class Emirates lounges.
How Much Does it Cost to Access the Emirates Lounges at the Dubai Airport?
To access all first-class lounges, you must pay $250 while all business and Emirates lounges cost $125 according to the Emirates website. If you wish to upgrade from the business to the first-class lounge area, you need to pay the remaining $125.
If you made a friend on the plane or have guests traveling with you on the same flight, you can invite them to join you in the lounges for an additional charge. It’s basically the same cost but they don’t have to be Skyward members.
If you’re traveling with children under the age of 12, the cost for access to the respective lounge areas is halved. In other words, the first-class lounge will cost $125 and the business class lounge will set you back $62.50. If you happen to be traveling with infants under the age of 2, then you are in luck, because they will have complimentary access to the lounges.
So what’s the catch? Well, it’s a steep price for one, but the most important thing to keep in mind is that you only have access to the Emirates lounges for 4 hours. If you stay at the lounge for any longer than that, unless your flight was delayed, then you will have to pay for an additional 4 hours.
Silver and Gold Emirates Skyward members have complimentary access to the business lounge while Emirates Skyward Platinum members have access to the first-class lounge area. For the membership terms and conditions, check out the official website here.
There is a lot of speculation and confusion around the pricing mostly because there are other lounges at the airport, but the above stats are true for Emirates flights. As for the prices of other lounges and access, you will have to contact the airline or ask someone at the airport. Everyone is super friendly and eager to help in Dubai Airport so don’t be shy!
What About Access to Other Lounges?
There are a number of other lounges at the Dubai Airport that you can pay to have access to, but Emirates is really the best and you can see why below. Still, you can also buy access to the Marhaba Lounge at the Dubai Airport which will give you access to an international buffet and drinks as well as fast WIFI and a view of the runway. The Marhaba Lounge concept is really about highlighting Arabian hospitality making the lounge feel like a relaxing oasis.
There are other lounges within the Airport, including Dubai’s own business and first-class lounges, as well as the Ahlan lounge. Each area has its own benefits and highlights with some featuring delicious international cuisine and drinks and others offering showers and relaxing zones for work or sleep during long-waits.
You can also purchase access to business and first-class lounges for the following airlines:
- British Airways Lounge
- Lufthansa Lounge
- Sky Team Lounge
- Gulf Air Lounge
If you have an American Express Platinum card, you can opt for the many of the American Express lounges that are spread out through the Dubai Airport terminals.
For information on how to access the lounge areas, check out this link. For rates and prices, you will have to check with your airline. Also, most airlines will allow you to purchase access to the lounge areas if your flight is on one of their planes or a member or daughter organization or company. Again for all the details, please check ahead with your airline. The last thing you want is to end up waiting for 8 hours in an overcrowded airport when you afford to access the lounges.
What to Expect at The Emirates Lounges?
So the real question becomes, are the lounges worth the couple hundred bucks? For all the details, you can check out this comprehensive review from Business Insider, but from what we can tell, if you can afford it, then it’s a no brainer.
You can find the lounge access on the second floor of the airport after you go through what seems like the most luxurious indoor mall you have ever been to. Once you go up the elevators, you will see a beautiful golden sign that lets you know you are in the right place.
The Emirates Lounges are extremely large and accommodate over 1500 people, so you will never see a line at any of the 12 welcome desks or five decadent food stations. As you make your way inside you are likely first going to be drawn in by the delicious smells of international foods made by some of the best chefs from around the world. Also while you’re here, you many want to write a list of the souvenirs you can buy at the Dubai Airport.
The five food stations are divided between International, Middle Eastern, Western, Asian, and Mediterranean parts of the world. So whether you want grilled salmon or Indian dhokla, you’re covered! Not in the mood for a large meal, check out the spread at the dessert corner with some baklava, chocolate mousse truffles, and cupcakes. To wash it all down check out the Moët & Chandon Champagne lounge or order one of many drinks and cocktails from the bar area.
After you’ve had your bellies share, relax with a warm and soothing shower at one of the private shower areas because there is nothing better than getting that travel gunk off of your skin before or after a long flight. Need a quick shave or mouth freshener before an important business meeting? Don’t worry the lounge has you covered. If you really need to unwind, then you can pay extra for a Swedish massage or manicure, these will run you back $120 and $90 respectively.
Once you really get into your element, check out the quiet zone where you can catch up on some much-needed sleep. Don’t worry, you can drop your kids off at the children’s play area so that they don’t disturb your sleep.
Finally, before you board your flight, grab some coffee, a few scoops of ice cream or sorbet, and then walk right to your gate without having to leave the lounge area… yep, that’s how big it is!
There you have it. Fortunately, you can buy access to all the business and first-class lounges at the Dubai Airport. While you have a number of lounges to choose from, I would definitely go with Emirates, and I’m sure you agree.
