Book now: BA adds extra Dubai flights over Christmas and New Year, wide open for Avios

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• Tom says:

  6 Oct6 October 13:08

  Thanks Rob, also booked and delighted to secure the dates we wanted, including a Boxing Day departure from London.
  J had gone, but happy to settle for Premium in both directions. Extremely grateful for the heads up.

• HH says:

  6 Oct6 October 13:20

  Thanks. I almost booked earlier, until I saw the eye-watering hotel prices over Christmas…£500+/night for anywhere good. I usually pay half that for Oct-Nov stays at the same places. I wouldn’t shell out these prices for Dubai personally.

  • Rob says:

    6 Oct6 October 13:39

    Nothing stops you buying a few Hilton points when the next 100% bonus comes along and booking the Waldorf for £250 per night.

  • lev441 says:

    6 Oct6 October 13:49

    This is why hotel points are so great. I have one more marriott travel voucher which has been extended until 2/1/22 which I was struggling to use!!

    Has anyone stayed at the Le Méridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort? It looks like the best category 5 (Which is what my voucher allows)

• Tim says:

  6 Oct6 October 13:59

  There are far nicer, more ethical and more “Christmassy” places to spend the festive season than a theocratic dictatorship. Why not go skating in Central Park, dog sledging in Finland or shopping in Germany’s Christmas markets.

  • Navara says:

    6 Oct6 October 14:02

    Its cold in those places

    • Rob says:

      6 Oct6 October 14:27

      I’d love to him say that with a straight face when its 28th December, it is freezing cold and chucking it down with rain outside, with whatever sun there is disappearing at 4pm and his kids are bored stiff, having turned down the chance to be sitting on a beach in 30 degree sun and, indeed, helping to create jobs for people escaping from genuine crap in Bangladesh etc who are delighted to be working in a Dubai 5-star.

      Only Bear Grylls would head to Finland over Christmas (we did dog sledding over Easter in Swedish Lapland a couple of years ago and that’s much better, there is a far better chance of not losing a limb to frostbite in April) and whilst you might love those German markets, the fact that everything else shuts down for days over Christmas does somewhat take the shine off it. You’re better going on one of the pre-Christmas weekends when Sunday trading is allowed.

      • Memesweeper says:

        6 Oct6 October 15:59

        To be fair my kids loved New York immediately post Xmas. I suspect they’d tire quickly of Dubai.

      • Mr(s) Entitled says:

        6 Oct6 October 18:16

        Dont project your values on someone else.

        I spent the best part of a decade living in New York. I would take that in a heartbeat over Dubia. Christmas time is a great time to visit. I may not be alone. Or agree with you. Doesnt make me wrong, you right, or vice versa.

        • Bagoly says:

          7 Oct7 October 16:43

          +1

      • Anuj says:

        6 Oct6 October 18:45

        The poor people working in Dubai and other ME countries are not delighted, they have no other choice. It takes very little Googling to see the many horrific things that happen to them. Look what Dubai is in the news for today..

  • Sandgrounder says:

    6 Oct6 October 14:12

    I’d rather sit by the Creek and eat a great value for money biryani in an independent restaurant, founded by hard working migrants who have moved from poverty and built a successful life in the land of opportunity.

  • Anna says:

    6 Oct6 October 14:41

    This is the last year of me sitting grinding my teeth because me and/or my OH can’t get Christmas off! Think I’d still want somewhere where Christmas is mainstream though, so I’ve got my eye on Florida for next 2022! Eastern US is also the most likely destination to get 3 CW seats at that time of year I imagine.

  • Blenz101 says:

    6 Oct6 October 15:24

    Is that an assumption Tim? Even Wikipedia would have told you that their are elections for the government.

    If the sheik was called a king would that make it a better holiday destination?

    • meta says:

      6 Oct6 October 17:37

      I suppose German Xmas markets sell products that are only manufactured in a sustainable, environmentally friendly way without forced labour. I also suppose you only have such items at home (and this includes the material that your house/flat was built of!) . I guess UK, too, is such an exemplary democracy and government corruption, crimes, forced labour don’t happen here…

      • Rob says:

        6 Oct6 October 17:49

        Oddly they do 🙂 There is a region of Germany which is dedicated to producing hand-made wooden Christmas ornaments – https://folklife.si.edu/magazine/german-toymakers-erzgebirge. This village – https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2242631/Christmas-tree-decorations-Small-German-mountain-village-Lauscha-birthplace-bauble.html – is dedicated to baubles.

        • meta says:

          6 Oct6 October 19:10

          I know, you just confirmed what I said (only!). At these markets they also sell other stuff which is definitely not German-made and you’re probably also going to do something not connected with the market (visit a museum sponsored by a multinational with dubious practices, etc).

          The world is too interconnected to think in terms of one country- one culture or government-style or what have you.

        • Bagoly says:

          7 Oct7 October 16:46

          Seiffen (in Erzebirge) is magical to visit in December.
          It is the only place I have been where *every* house had Christmas lights.

• Andrew says:

  6 Oct6 October 14:43

  Do you need to take a test on arrival in Dubai or just a pre-departure test here?

  • Rob says:

    6 Oct6 October 14:48

    Just a test here.

    • Andrew says:

      6 Oct6 October 16:59

      Great, that’s a relief. Abu Dhabi seems to require a test on arrival which is putting me off the EY offer.

• ThePenguin says:

  6 Oct6 October 15:12

  A lot of woke PC people on here seem to ignore these issues when i suits them.

  • BSI1978 says:

    6 Oct6 October 15:22

    Particularly when noting that QR are so beloved on here whilst also remaining a notable shareholder in BA!

    Don’t get me wrong, all for someone sticking to their principles but the virtue signalling does tire. (from a purely personal perspective I detest how the phrase ‘woke’ has become co-opted to now almost act as a slur but that is a rant for another day/thread).

    We could find fault with pretty much every single destination (States included) if one so wished so let those that want to book & enjoy a few days sun to it. that’s my tuppence worth anyhow – back to the spreadsheet for me…..

  • Harry T says:

    6 Oct6 October 15:25

    If people only gave their money to “ethical” companies and countries, they would be on websites about making your own clothes from curtains instead of a website about premium travel and points 😂

    • Mrs_Fussy says:

      6 Oct6 October 20:27

      Yes ! For starters let’s boycott Facebook and stop shopping from Amazon. I love my Middle East holidays – there, said it !

• Tom says:

  6 Oct6 October 15:22

  Question on upgrades. Used a 241 on this new inventory earlier this afternoon. WT+ both ways because that’s all that was left.

  I’ll set up a seat spy alert for the opportunity to upgrade, but if that doesn’t work, is it worth enquiring about upgrade opportunities at LHR check in? If so, and if available, will they accept Avios as payment, or will it be cash only? If they would accept Avios, will they honour the 50% (241) ‘discount’? Thanks.

  • Harry T says:

    6 Oct6 October 15:26

    Airport upgrades will only be for cash. Worth asking though, as you can receive some attractive offers.

    • Tom says:

      6 Oct6 October 15:50

      Thanks Harry, good to know!

• Denis says:

  6 Oct6 October 16:05

  4 tickets purchased using 1 CV (got 3 CVs left anyway), 120k Avios and £660. Gutted no Premium availability, but a great deal considering £3100 value. Thank you Babyg and Rob!

• Alan S says:

  6 Oct6 October 17:36

  Booked a couple of CW seats from Edinburgh via LHR in December using a 241 that expires in early 2022. Plenty of Avios, so seemed ideal for a weeks relaxing/warmth/sun by a hotel pool, even if we do nothing else.

  I’ll obviously do my research, but happy to hear of suggestions from anyone as to things to do/restaurants etc. My wife is pregnant, so extreme sports are out…

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