Dubai Airport Offers Passengers to Check-in at Night for Morning Flights

Dubai airport (DXB) Terminal 3 is one of my favorites. There are several reasons – smart gates, a wide range of food options, shopping and some great business-class lounges.

DXB airport has added another feather to its cap. It has partnered with Dubai International Hotel to allow families to check-in at night and sleep at the hotel for early morning flights.

The Details

Called ‘Wake Up at the Gate’ package, this is different from staying at a hotel in or near the airport. This special package allows a family of four to check in at Terminal 3 for their flight the night before, get through security and head into departures. You can sleep at the hotel and wake up fresh in the morning minutes before departure time.

DXB Terminal 3 has plenty of flights between 7:00 am to 9:00 am. Some of the important ones are

• EK201 DXB to New York
• EK15 to London
• EK73 to Paris
• EK215 to Los Angeles

Taking a flight at 7:00 am for me means getting up at 3:00 am, leaving for airport at 4:00 am. Obviously, this is not ideal, especially for your little ones. This package allows you to reach airport the previous night, complete your boarding formalities, retire into the hotel at night and wake-up minutes before departure.

I am sure both parents and kids will love this.

This service is priced starting from AED 350 ($100+) for a family of four.

The price includes premium meet & greet, access to the hotel’s facilities including pool and gym, a complimentary fruit basket, tea & coffee facilities and quick check-out. The hotel will even give customers a wake-up call and escort them directly to their gate in plenty of time for the flight, with a bag of healthy snacks for each child.

The package can be booked by visiting www.dubaiintlhotels.com or call 00971 4 224 4000.

Dubai International Hotel

I have stayed at the hotel before while on a transit. This is an efficient business hotel with access to Concourse A, B and C at the DXB airport. Note that levels in concourse C are temporarily closed for renovation.

The rooms are nice and comfortable. And the service quality meets the expectations of a transit hotel.

Verdict

Traveling with young kids is difficult. Many a times I have heard kids crying in flights when they aren’t adequately rested or need some sleep. Therefore, this is a welcome move.

Pricing is key here. AED 350+ for a family of 4 sounds good – it is less than AED 90 ($25 per passenger). This is similar to what airport lounges will cost you. It remains to be seen how the pricing works out during school breaks.