Eeyore

What's the situation in Dubai in respect of buying discount airfares?

If we move there we'd like to do more travelling round Asia (we'd be 7 hours nearer than we are now!) - can discount airfares be obtained from reputable companies as easily in Dubai as they can in the UK? Are there Arabian equivalents of companies like Trailfinders?

I've tried doing some web searches on the subject, but all I can find are the online booking sites of Dubai-based airlines like Emirates, and of course they charge full whack.

Truth Speak

No....there are offers but nothing u can depend on.

However all is not lost. If u are returning to the UK a couple of x a year get return flights from the Uk....

i.e. an open return from uk to the Maldives is about 50 GBP more than a return to Dubai. Thes etickets allow indefinite stop overs in Dubai and so u can take a hol to the Maldives for nought.

very cost effective.

returns to teh Uk from Dubai are more expenisve....

have played around with this for a few yrs. IKf u need more info drop us a line...


TS

DubaiExpat

Could you let us know about that too....have always just booked via EK/BA DXB-LON-DXB normally but this sounds quite interesting!!

Truth Speak

Okeydokey,

Morning S

Emirates, BA and KLM all do these tickets from the UK to the far east with indefinite stopovers in Dubai whilst travelling in either direction. They are slightly more expensive than the normal uk/dxb return, but only a little. It means that you fly off on yr hols for almost nothing.

This only works with the UK as point of origin.

Hope this helps

TS

Desert Dweller

Another way of doing it is by purchasing a ticket to Bangkok form Dubai and once you're in BKK (or in advance) pick up your ongoing journey ticket. BKK services pretty much any airport in Asia and has a high turnover so tickets are cheap. This works better when you have more time and/or are going further.
Basically you are stuck with the high costs of being based in Dubai- something I get here in Hong Kong too. When I was in Dubai I wanted to put my folks up in the Burj, but it was cheaper for them to book 5 days in Dubai with 3 nights in Jumeirah Beach with a bonus night in the Burj, including flights, than it was for me to book one night in the Burj as a walk-in. Where's the logic?

TA5

interestingly, if I purchase my ticket in dubai at the Dnata building for a R/T flight DXB-FRA-IAD (Wash-Dulles), it is about USD 1000 (3400 dhs) cheaper than buying it

1) In the US
2) Through the internet

This is because if I buy it here I am not subject to any US or European Taxes, or so it was explained by the agent at Dnata. This is for Lufthansa / United flights.

My boss from the US told me about this, and I was skeptical. But I searched and found the flight i wanted online, and it quoted me 16000 dhs, then I went to the Dnata building and got the same exact flights for 12600.

Face81

Hi GarethR.

I dont know much about discount airfares in Dubai, but wot u cud do is join an air-miles program that will allow u 2 redeem ur miles once u have accumulated a decent amount in return for price reductions to most parts of the world.

Emirates has a fantastic program - Skywards. You can find out more about it thru:www.skywards.com

Thats my 2 fils worth.

DubaiExpat

I think I understand. We are flying back for Christmas, so if I get what your saying, I should be able to buy an open-return from the UK, use it to fly back here in the New Years, go on a "Free" holiday sometime later on and then use the same ticket to fly back in the summer?

Cheers!

Face81

he does come up with some very interesting ideas, doesnt he?

Thanks 4 the tip TS.

Truth Speak

Spot on...works a treat

Truth Speak

He does sometimes....then again there's the odd crapp one...

Eeyore

Cool, that sounds interesting... so while I'm in the UK I could buy an open return to (say) Tahiti with a stopover in Dubai, but the only travel date I would need to lock down at the time would be the one from the UK to Dubai on the first leg of the journey? I could decide at my leisure when to use the remaining legs of the ticket?

Truth Speak

That's right

Face81

nah...... ur not! U have my vote matey.....for not being the crap one that is. lol

Truth Speak

Y thank u Yoda