Dubai

The big-ticket item is genuinely free: Emirates covers a 1-night stay at a 4-star hotel in Dubai. But "free" has edges worth knowing: you still typically pay for meals beyond anything included, any city or tourist tax, and a transit-visa fee if your passport needs one. Compare the total fare too: adding a stopover doesn't always cost the same as a plain connection.

Passengers flying Emirates on a ticket issued by the airline, with a qualifying layover in DXB between 6 and 26 hours. Eligible booking classes: Economy, Premium Economy, Business, First. Eligible booking channels: EK ticket stock, Qantas-marketed Emirates flights, or Emirates-marketed flydubai (T3 only). Self-service add via Manage Booking requires 12h advance for Economy/Premium Economy; Business/First lead times may differ. Not added automatically.

Your connection in DXB should fall between 6 and 26 hours. Two things travelers get caught by: flight-search sites usually show the shortest connection by default, and that's often too short to qualify. You may need to deliberately pick a longer-layover flight. And the layover shown isn't all usable: clearing immigration and any baggage steps eats into it, so give yourself comfortable margin above the 6-hour minimum.

Stopover programs are run by the airline, so the safest route is a ticket booked directly with Emirates on an eligible fare. Award and miles tickets, and bookings made through online travel agencies or other third-party sites, often follow different rules: sometimes they don't qualify, sometimes the stopover has to be arranged another way. Before booking like that, confirm directly with Emirates that your specific ticket type is eligible.

To leave the airport for your stopover you must meet United Arab Emirates's transit or entry rules, and this matters before you even fly: if your passport requires a transit visa and you don't have one, the airline can deny boarding. The good news: many nationalities get visa-free transit, visa-on-arrival, or a quick e-visa, and some stopover programs include the transit visa. Select your nationality on this page to see the exact requirement for United Arab Emirates, and arrange any visa well before departure.

Airlines do sometimes adjust schedules after you book. A change can shorten or lengthen your layover. If it drops the connection below the 6-hour minimum, or past the maximum, it can affect your eligibility. If you get a schedule-change notice, re-check your layover against the program's window and contact Emirates to rebook or re-confirm the stopover. It's worth re-checking your itinerary a few days before departure.

On a single Emirates ticket, your checked bags are normally tagged straight through to your final destination, so you head into Dubai with just your carry-on, and your luggage continues on the onward flight. You'd only collect and re-check bags if part of your trip is on a separate ticket. If you'd like a checked bag with you for the overnight stay, ask Emirates when you arrange the stopover.

Most stopover programs allow only one stopover per round-trip — on either the outbound or the return leg, not both. A few carriers are more flexible. Confirm with Emirates whether your specific itinerary can include a stopover on each leg before planning two stops.

Emirates assigns the hotel — typically a 4-star property in or near Dubai — rather than letting you choose a specific one, though premium-cabin passengers are often placed in higher-tier hotels. The exact property is confirmed when you arrange the stopover.

Book via your Emirates account online (or via travel agent) at least 24 hours before the inbound flight to Dubai. Dubai Connect appears as an option during booking if your itinerary qualifies. Not automatic — must be actively added.

Up to 2 days. You can extend your layover without paying additional airfare, as long as it fits within the program's rules.

Yes. You must request the stopover 24 hours before inbound flight.