Emirates’ sprawling hub at Dubai International Airport is home to a sea of airport lounges. Emirates has seven lounges of its own. There are three First Class lounges, spread across Concourse A, Concourse B and Concourse C. Then there are six Business Class lounges, also spanning Concourse A, Concourse B and Concourse C.
But ‘lounge seven’ is a little different. It’s neither a Business Class lounge, nor is it a First Class lounge. In fact, it’s a mixture of the two. Aptly bearing a neutral title, ‘The Emirates Lounge’, the space is tucked away in the far corner of Dubai Airport. It’s so far along that the overhead signs en route to the lounge even suggest you turn around and lounge elsewhere.
But for those in the know, the seventh lounge is a place to relax and unwind. It’s not as prominent as Emirates’ six other lounge locations here, which tends to make it a little quieter than the rest. In fact, even though it’s a catch-all space, the style and amenities are a little closer to Business Class. This means First Class flyers and Platinum members are likely to make use of the dedicated First Class lounges instead.
All up, this leaves savvy Business Class customers and lower-tier frequent flyers in the know. It becomes something of a small club, which gives the lounge a slightly ‘exclusive’ feel, despite the broad access list. Here’s a look inside. You’ll be able to see whether it’s worth the walk if you’re departing from a gate far away.
Location and layout
Looking for Emirates’ near-secret seventh lounge in Dubai? Like the airline’s other Dubai lounges, this one sits in Terminal 3. The T3 complex is home to three distinct concourses, with Concourse C being the furthest one from check-in. It’s a bit of a hike: allow 20 minutes to walk from Emirates’ premium check-in and immigration area.
The easiest way of finding this particular lounge is to aim for gate C9. Even though you’ll spot those signs suggesting you turn around for the lounge, just keep walking. Soon enough, you’ll spot ‘The Emirates Lounge’.
Complete the obligatory boarding pass scan and you’ll emerge into a space with high ceilings and striking airport views. Even though Concourse A – the purpose-built A380 concourse – is far away, you can still expect to see a superjumbo or three ready and waiting for passengers at the gates nearby.
In terms of style, Emirates has largely mirrored what travellers might expect at its newer outstation lounges in other airports. But there’s a bit of Dubai flair woven in.
Seating
The Emirates Lounge in Dubai sports the airline’s ‘new look’ furniture. Gone are the green and cream checkered cushions of yesteryear. Instead, relax on curved, tan-coloured seats – reminiscent of the sands of Dubai.
Overall, the colour scheme is very muted, relying on polished surfaces and occasional bursts of greenery to convey a modern twist on a more traditional design.
Even though the space is largely rectangular, cleverly placed dividers and features make each area feel more intimate. That said, it’d be nice to see a lot more power points here. From my best estimates, only half of the seats are adjacent to power. That’s fine when the lounge is empty, but if it fills up, you may be out of luck.
As I often suggest, the best strategy is to look for the lamps – a clear sign of power being available nearby.
Food and beverage in The Emirates Lounge, Dubai T3, Concourse C
When it comes to dining, service in The Emirates Lounge is more akin to Dubai’s Business Class lounges rather than being in First Class territory. For instance, espresso coffee is DIY only via a push-button machine. Champagne is present – it’s the entry-level Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut. But in fact, the Business Class Lounge in Concourse B has a wider variety thanks to the presence of a dedicated Champagne lounge.
For that matter, there’s no bartender here in The Emirates Lounge – all drinks are DIY. As for the options, expect to find a selection of beers, wines and spirits at the ready. These are joined by the usual non-alcoholic options. I quite like that there are little bottles of sparkling water – a handy thing to grab for a refreshment while wandering to your gate, especially if it’s some distance away.
On the food front, the chilled buffet offers fresh salads, dips, snack rolls, yoghurts and more. There’s also a fridge dedicated to dessert, from which it’s hard to pass on a delicious macaron. Fresh fruit is also close at hand – and there’s an ice cream cart nearby.
When it comes to hot food, there’s plenty of variety to appeal to a wide base of travellers. Today’s eclectic mix offers bites like Caribbean fish curry, lamb stew, beef stroganoff, chicken tikka biryani and beef rendang. There’s also penne pasta with Bolognese, or for something meat-free, enjoy plant-based teriyaki, vegetable chow mein and vegetable salona. As for hot sides, expect to find favourites like rice and mashed potato.
Overall, it’s quite a comprehensive selection of food. Perhaps, so much so that it’ll have greatest appeal with those choosing not to eat on board. For instance, Business Class passengers heading straight to sleep or Economy Class flyers looking for something nicer than the standard Economy inflight meal.
Amenities in The Emirates Lounge, Dubai Concourse C
A few final features round out the experience in The Emirates Lounge here in Dubai. If you’re so inclined, there’s a smoking room which sits in an enclosed space to avoid spreading the scent throughout the lounge. It’s more for cigarettes and cigars, though – there’s no shisha menu.
Separately, the far corner of the lounge is home to a few day beds. A privacy wall wraps around each one and there’s a blanket for longer stays. Just be mindful that there’s no wake-up service here: you’ll need to set your own alarm.
Need to get some work done instead? There’s a small business nook with computers at the ready. That said, I never seem to see anybody using these. Most travellers tend to travel with their own tech – and on that front, the Wi-Fi is fast and free. Expect speeds in the region of 200Mbps – which means you won’t be kept waiting long.
Accessing The Emirates Lounge, Dubai Concourse C
Want to visit The Emirates Lounge on your next journey through Dubai? Here are the many ways you could qualify for entry. We haven’t listed travellers entitled to visit Emirates’ dedicated First Class lounges in Dubai, which operate to a higher standard.
- By class of travel:
- Emirates Business Class. This includes all reward flights and QF codeshares, but doesn’t cover travellers booked on EK-coded Business Class Special fares.
- flydubai Business Class, when departing from Terminal 3.
- By elite status or paid lounge membership:
- Emirates Skywards Silver, flying onwards with Emirates.
- Emirates Skywards Gold, departing on Emirates or flydubai (+1 guest).
- Qantas Gold, flying onwards with Emirates on an EK or QF flight number (+1 guest).
- Qantas Club, prior to Emirates flights booked on a QF flight number only (+1 guest).
- By paid entry:
- Skywards Blue members can pay the equivalent of US$157.50 (~AU$232) at the reception desk, per person. Skywards members at the higher membership tiers can also pay this fee to bring a guest into the lounge over and above any complimentary entitlement.
- Travellers who aren’t Skywards members can pay the equivalent of US$183.75 (~AU$270) per person. But given Skywards is free to join, signing up on the spot offers a noticeable saving.
Paid entry provides a path into the lounge for travellers who otherwise don’t qualify. For instance, passengers travelling in Economy Class or Premium Economy without the requisite membership. Or those who’ve booked a cut-price Business Class Special fare which doesn’t include the lounge. Depending on the price of the fare, it could well be cheaper to book this ‘lounge exclusive’ ticket and then pay for lounge privileges on top, when there’s time enough in your itinerary to enjoy them.
Summing up
With so many lounges to choose from in Dubai, Emirates’ passengers certainly won’t be bored. The idea of having so many locations is in reflection of the sheer size of Dubai International Airport. By default, most passengers would venture to the lounge closest to their gate to settle in and relax. That way, there isn’t far to go when it’s boarding time.
But some transits through Dubai can be quite lengthy. Especially if you’ve chosen a later connecting flight to have a longer transit time. In that instance, ‘lounge hopping’ is one way to pass the time.
If you’re flying Business Class or otherwise qualify per our list above, you’ll have at least four lounges to choose from. Have a Platinum-level frequent flyer card or a First Class boarding pass? You can technically visit all seven of Emirates’ Dubai lounges.
Personally, I’m no stranger to Dubai International Airport. I’ve flown through DXB around 20 times – and I’ll often visit a different lounge each visit. For that matter, I’ve also spent time in all seven of Emirates’ Dubai lounges, and can appreciate the differences and subtleties between them.
Would I make the trek all the way down to Concourse C just to visit this lounge when flying from Concourse A? Absolutely not… except for today, because otherwise, you wouldn’t have this review to read, ahem. But if I were flying from Concourse C and didn’t have access to the First Class Lounge here, The Emirates Lounge would be my go-to.
It’s often quieter than Concourse C’s Business Class Lounge. It also has a more modern look and feel. This means that even during off-peak times, the space feels more relaxing. It’s a vibe.
Also reviewed: Emirates Business Class Lounge, Dubai Terminal 3, Concourse C
All photography by Chris Chamberlin, who accessed the lounge courtesy of (earned) frequent flyer status while travelling as a guest of Emirates.
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