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By David Rossy
There are direct
flights to Dubai from most European and Asian cities, however if
you are flying from North America or Canada then you will need to
fly via Europe or Asia. However, looking on the bright side, this
makes the flight cheaper and also gives you the opportunity
to explore Europe with typical stop overs in either Paris, Amsterdam
or London.
The main airlines for Dubai are Emirates airlines
(www.emirates.com), Gulf Air (www.gulfair.com) and Air Arabia flies
out of neighbouring Sharjah. if you are looking to keep the costs of
airfare to a minimum then a good option is to fly Gulf air via via
bahrain, or even Qatar airways via Doha. However bear in mind that
connecting flights although usually much cheaper can be inconvenient
- you may find yourself hanging around airport lounges for
many hours doing that airport "game" of endless waiting followed by
endless queueing, is it really woth it to save a few £'s?
it tends to be more expensive flying to Dubai in the June -
August period and also over Christmas (in fact from the beginning of
Dec right through to end Jan). So try and avoid flying at these
times if at all possible - remember prices in the UAE are regulated,
there are no bargain bucket shops nor last minute deals so book your
flight as early as you possibly can to get best price.
On a side note Emirates airlines to date have a PERFECT safety
record, they are not the cheapest airline but they are regarded as
having superior service and that safety record is something worth
taking into consideration!
Dubai international airport is the busiest airport in the
Middle East, almost 25 million passengers in 2005 ( as a
comparison Seattle airport handled 29 million passengers in 2005 and
is listed in the top 30 busiest airports worldwide). Apparently the
government are investing a further $2,5 billion in expansion of the
airport due to rapid growth of tourist traffic. We should see Dubai
international being listed as one of the worlds busiest airports in
2007.
getting to/from the airport is easy and inexpensive. You can choose
from Municipality buses, airport buses, taxi's or limo's.
Additionally most of the reputable hotels, particularly those on
Jumeirah beach, will offer free transfers to and from the airport.
Costs for are approx Dh1.50, a taxi will cost around Dh 60 to the
Jumeirah beach area. ( The Emirates currecy Dh Dirham is pegged to
the Dollar, so 1Dh = $1, simple!).
Other points you should note before planning a trip to Dubai
- technically if you have evidence of travel to Israel in your
passport you will be denied entry, also you must have at least 6
months validity from your date of arrival. Assuming you meet these
requirements a 60 day visa is available on entry from the airport.
There is no charge for a standard 60 day visa.
Lastly, as with most foreign travel, a little bit of effort in terms
of learning the language can go a long way. Here are some simple
everday words you may find helpful - "Marhaba" hello, "al-salaam
alaykum" Peace be upon you (typical arab greeting), "shukran" thank
you.
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About the author:
The author has written
many articles on Dubai and the middle east along with other popular
holiday destinations, please check out
cheap flights dubai for
further information on this fascinating country, tipped to take over
from Florida as the worlds busiest tourist destination in 2007/2008
due to massive investment and an ideal location being situated in
between Asia, Europe and the USA.
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