The sheer disappointment of the Emirates First lounge, Concourse C in Dubai.
We’re those types of people who really plan. Every flight or hotel is overly considered, to the point where it brings on lethargy. That means that when we get it wrong, it cuts deep. And we got it wrong with this Emirates lounge. The first hint was the surprised look from the staff members that we wanted to pay to access it.
A short ode to Emirates
We had landed in Dubai off the back of an excellent First Class flight from Manchester. It was my favourite First experience (seven days later, it was usurped by a Singapore First flight, on their A380).
The airline is consistently excellent, and – when points redemptions are priced sensibly – we’ll always jump at the chance to fly them. The combination of the shower spas and the onboard lounge (both available only on the A380), plus outstanding on-board service, means that from gate to gate, First and Business are exactly as advertised.
Despite the excellence of the service, I can’t help but feel a little short-changed by them when it comes to one of their lounges.
Emirates lounge rules
If you’re flying into Dubai in First Class, then you might think you get access to one of their First Class lounges. That is not the case.
If you’re connecting in Dubai, your incoming flight is in First, and then your next flight is in Business, you’ll only be entitled to experience a Business Class lounge.
That is a strange rule. It means most First Class passengers heading into Dubai will never experience the First lounge unless their next flight is booked in that cabin. However, you can pay to upgrade your access levels.
Emirates First Class Lounges
Here’s another important note. Not all Emirates First Class lounges are made the same, and there are three at Dubai Airport, across concourses A, B and C.
What I know now is that C is the weakest of the three options. On the Emirates website, there is no explanation of the difference between the three lounges. In fact, they don’t even mention the fact that there is more than one First lounge.
It’s not uncommon for airlines to make their premium lounges confusing. At Heathrow T5, you might think that the BA Galleries First lounge is where you head to if you’re flying First Class. That lounge is pretty average, and where you really need to go is the Concorde Room.
What we ended up doing
We landed in Dubai at concourse C on a First Class ticket, connecting to Business Class. As we exited the plane, we were met by an Emirates staffer, and they walked us through security, then drove us to the Business Class lounge.
Eager to try and review a stunning lounge, we went to the First Lounge opposite. That meant a payment, as although we’d landed in First, our next flight was Business. The total cost was $300 for two, which was roughly £230. That’s almost as much as travelling through Aether at Manchester Airport.
There was a hint of confusion from the staff members who took our money. That was our first clue that we were about to get a surprise. The second clue was walking into the lounge itself. The first few minutes were spent looking for the rest of it. Where is the Moet & Chandon bar, the spa (with complimentary treatments) and the direct boarding from the lounge? The answer, after we wandered around the whole space, is that they weren’t there at all.
Now this isn’t the worst lounge I’ve been in; in fact, it’s nowhere close. It’s just absolutely not First Class, it’s an elevated business lounge. It has an enclosed smoking area, a la carte dining, and is spacious. The bathrooms were clean and spacious, and there were shower rooms. It just wasn’t, by any measure, worth £115 each.
The Emirates First Lounge, Concourse C
This lounge is located in Concourse C at Dubai Airport. It’s directly opposite the Business Class lounge and well signposted, although we were dropped off at the lounge in a buggy.
DXB has four concourses, running A through D. Dubai airport is due to close in the 2030s, as all passenger flights will move to the new Al Maktoum International. One can only wonder about the level of luxury that Emirates will bring to the new airport, and how many lounges they will operate.
We arrived at the lounge at 9pm and had a three-hour layover. Checking in was quick, taking less than five minutes to enter, pay the upgrade fee, and then walk through to the main seating area.
The lounge has good views across the airport, although, unlike other First lounges, there’s no direct boarding from this one. This is a double-height space with a mezzanine, and it’s a long, thin space.
As you walk into the lounge, you’ll be met by a small water feature, massage chairs and a newspaper/magazine stand. There’s also a phone charging facility, where you drop your phone off into a secure cage, and free wifi.
Who can access this lounge?
- If your next flight is Emirates First Class, then you can access this lounge for free.
- Similarly, you can get access if you’re a Platinum or higher level member with Skywards.
You can pay to access this lounge: if you’re travelling in Economy, then it will cost you $250 each, or if you’re flying in Business, it’ll cost you $150.
Those prices assume you are an Emirates Skywards member; the price for Economy is $300, and Business is $175 if you are not. It’s free to join Skwards, and takes just a couple of minutes, so it’s worth it just to get that discount.
The main floor contains a large seating area. It runs the entire length of the lounge, and at the very far end, there are smaller, semi-private booths to sit in.
The main dining area is located at the far end of the lounge, where you can choose to order from a menu or dine at the buffet. The food on offer was extensive, with some outstanding sweet options.
We opted to dine from the menu, and I went for the Chicken Tikka Massala, which was delicious. My wife also had a Poke bowl, which she rated an 8 out of 10. The dining menu had plenty of options, with dishes from across the world.
We ate facing one of the large TVs in the lounge, and watched live sport. The sound is purposely and rightly turned off. This was a very quiet lounge, which was great, but it was disturbed a few times by people on calls and someone playing videos loudly on their phone.
What’s the second floor like?
The Mezzanine level houses another seating area with a smaller buffet space. This was closed when we went up there, although you could help yourself to drinks from a fridge. Upstairs also has a smoking area and two relaxing loungers that come with water next to them.
We moved from the main space to the mezzanine about halfway through our time in this lounge. We were pretty tired after a long day of travelling, and we wanted some peace and quiet.
We were the only people sitting upstairs for the entire time we were there, and that space could easily hold 80 people.
The bathrooms and the shower facilities are downstairs. They were clean, modern and perfectly acceptable.
The Verdict
On the one hand, this is actually a nice lounge. The food was great, it was quiet, and the service was prompt. On the other, more important, hand, it was pure disappointment. We were looking forward to a massage, and I had promised my wife Sushi. This lounge didn’t feel special, and it was absolutely not worth paying £125 for.
Strategically, if I were a frequent traveller who ended up landing in Concourse C, AND I either had status or was travelling onwards in First Class, then this lounge is a sensible option if you want to avoid the busier, and better first class lounges.
Will the true Emirates First lounge in Concourse A be any better? We’re going to roll the dice again next year. We’re due to travel from Dubai in First on a two-leg trip. That means First Lounge access without paying a fee, and now we’re wiser, we’re going to head to Concourse A or B First lounges. Or maybe even both. We’re still excited about experiencing the true Emirates First Class lounge experience.
Emirates First Class Lounge, Dubai Concourse C
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