Getting to Dubai – Best Flights, Points Redemptions and Insider Tips

Before December 2022, I had never been to Dubai. I was on the fence about visiting the UAE—uncertain if I’d enjoy the culture, or if it was the kind of place I could relax and have fun in. Spoiler alert: I had an incredible time. So incredible, in fact, that I’ve since returned over 10 times for extended stays, not to mention a dozen more layovers under 24 hours—most of them courtesy of a certain A380 that I can’t seem to resist. If you’re curious about making the trip yourself, here’s a breakdown of all the ways—classic and quirky—that I’ve used (or dreamed of using) to get to the Middle East’s glitzy desert gem.

Getting to Dubai – Direct Flights from Canada

• Air Canada
  Air Canada operates nightly flights from Toronto and Vancouver to Dubai. These flights arrive around early evening local time in DXB and are easy to book with Aeroplan points, subject to dynamic pricing, of course. Whether you’re flying from a big hub or connecting from Ottawa, Edmonton, or anywhere else, the cost in points tends to remain consistent.
  

  Air Canada Signature Class

  Booking with Aeroplan Points: No high fuel surcharges, but award rates can hit several hundred thousand points in premium cabins. That said, I’ve snagged Montreal-Dubai 777 flights for 80k–100k Aeroplan points—you just need to be flexible and persistent.

  

  Emirates 777 Business Class

  I have been able to book one-way tickets on the 777 to and from Montreal for 80k- 100k in the past. This requires some flexibility as to dates, patience to search for these hidden gems, and a willingness to sit next to someone on the flight, as the plane in business is configured with a 2-2-2 formation.  If you have a travel companion, this is definitely a great option to consider, if you can snag one of these more reasonable Aeroplan Business Class redemptions.

• Emirates (A.K.A. The A380 Love Affair) to Dubai
  Toronto also gets Emirates’ legendary A380. It’s my preferred option—two decks, onboard bar, shower in First, and all the bells and whistles. There’s also a daily Emirates flight from Montreal on a 777 (Review), which lacks the glitz but sometimes has more Aeroplan or Skywards award availability.Pro tip: The Emirates Toronto flight leaves in the afternoon, and I find it harder to sleep due to that timing. I prefer the San Francisco A380 departure at 3 PM PST—I naturally get tired mid-flight and sleep better, arriving refreshed. Meanwhile, the Montreal flight now leaves after 10 PM, which, despite the older 777, might offer a better sleep schedule.Of course you are not limited to redemptions from Canada only, but can potentially find space on Emirates flights between major North American hubs and Dubai.  New York, Los Angeles and San-Francisco are serviced by A380 planes in their fleet, while Dallas, Chicago, Washington, Boston, Seattle and Orlando (seasonal) offer a 777 experience.Coming home from Dubai? Both Air Canada and Emirates offer early morning departures (around 2–3:30 AM DXB time), landing in Toronto or Vancouver between 9–10:30 AM. Yes, it’s brutal early, but ideal if you need to hit the ground running—or even head to work. I’ve used this many times during my SAS Eurobonus Millionaire Challenge days.
  

  Emirates First Class

  Booking with Emirates Skywards: Expect to pay 120k–140k miles in Business or 150k–170k in First, plus ~$1000 in fees. Economy cabin can be had for 30k miles + ~$200. Skywards is a fixed chart that helps with planning. Sometimes it’s cheaper to buy a discounted cash ticket and use Skywards miles to upgrade, earning you miles and status.

Getting to Dubai – The Scenic Routes

Don’t want to fly direct? Neither do I—sometimes. Here are some of my favourite roundabout ways to get to Dubai;

• Emirates Fifth Freedom Flights
  Flights where an airline is operating a flight between two airports, neither of which is in its home country. I have also found that there is sometimes advantageous pricing to book an indirect route in Emirates, leveraging a fifth-freedom flight, rather than the direct one, when paying cash. A great way to experience premium Emirates hospitality at a relatively low price (cash or points).
  
  • Hong Kong (HKG) – Bangkok (BKK) – Dubai
  • New York (JFK) – Milan (MXP) – Dubai
  • New York (EWR) – Athens (ATH) – Dubai
• Etihad Airways
  It is impossible to discuss getting to Dubai via Emirates and Air Canada, and not have an honorary mention for Etihad, another world-class option to get to the Middle East (Review – Etihad A380 The Residence).  Etihad flies from several airports in North America, including Toronto, and arrives in Abu Dhabi, which is about a 1.5-2 hour drive from Dubai.  I have used both private transportation (approximately $100-200 CAD, depending on the driver) between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, as well as Etihad’s bus service that connects passengers from their terminal in Abu Dhabi to a location in downtown Dubai. I have taken this bus and found it to be a pleasant way to travel between the two UAE cities.
  

  Etihad A380 The Residence

   

• Air France
  I once pieced together a bargain ticket from Helsinki–Paris–Dubai, with the Dubai leg operated by an A350. Bonus points for butter: Air France serves Isigny Ste Mère, my all-time favourite (also pops up on some Air Canada routes!).Using Air France’s FlyingBlue miles can be another reasonable way to score a ticket to Dubai. Award pricing can be lower on FlyingBlue if you are willing to start in Amsterdam, Helsinki or other European capitals, and/or if you are willing to fly segments on KLM as well.  I have also found reasonable award availability using Air France’s partners, SAS, Virgin Airlines and Saudia.   They have less premium cabin availability, but redemptions are reasonable when available.
  

  Air France La Premiere

  One magical trip? La Première on Air France from Paris to Dubai—luxury at its finest, and surprisingly affordable when booked from cities like Madrid or Amsterdam.

• Virgin Atlantic
  I’m not big on inflight drinking, but Virgin’s onboard bars make flights fun and sociable (very English pub vibes). While Virgin award pricing has become dynamic, I’ve found Premium Economy to be a sweet spot—solid comfort and value. When I fly during the day, I am less gung-ho about needing a fully flat bed, and this is a compromise I make occasionally.  Economy cabin also has generous pricing if flying during the day, which can be worth it.
  
  
• Qatar Airways
  Qatar Airways offers routes to Dubai via Doha from multiple North American cities, including Montreal. While Business Class doesn’t get you into the First Class lounge, the Al Mourjan Garden Lounge is still a treat. And if you fly First on regional routes, you’ll unlock access to the coveted Al Safwa Lounge.
  

  Qatar A380 Bar

   

• United Airlines
  A preferred partner in the Aeroplan portfolio, United Polaris is available to go to Dubai via New York (EWR). Keep an eye out for saver fares on United MileagePlus and Aeroplan (both dynamic), especially if starting from U.S. cities.
  

  united Polaris

• Saudia Airlines
  They don’t serve alcohol, but I didn’t miss it. Their flights are often cheaper, and I booked Bangkok–Riyadh–Dubai on points during my SAS Eurobonus challenge: just 84k points in Business or 48k in Economy, with under $200 in taxes. Saudia’s price-point is fixed for anywhere in the Middle -East, from North America, while the cash cost varies a little depending on origin and destination. You can also use Virgin, Air France, or other SkyTeam partners to book.
• Singapore Airlines
  Earlier this year, I found two Aeroplan First Class redemptions from Singapore to Dubai on Emirates, then onward to Edmonton in AC Business, for friends.  Total? 277k Aeroplan + $150 CAD each. Not bad for a honeymoon!
  
  
• Private Jet – Why not?!
  Saved the best for last (somewhat tongue-in-cheek). If you’re flush with cash or want to avoid the public altogether, private charters to Dubai are a thing.  I was curious and priced out some common North American, European and Asian options.  Factors influencing price include departure city, aircraft type, seasonality, duration and additional services required.  Sampling a few:
  • Saudi Arabia (Riyadh or Jeddah) to Dubai, which is a distance of about 200-250 miles and less than an hour of flight time, in a “light” jet (e.g. Learjet 60) will set you back about $10,000-12,000 USD
  • London to Dubai in a mid-size jet like a Gulf-Stream G200, will range from $60,000-100,000 USD and give you about 7 hours of flying time over the roughly 3400 miles.
  • Most “bang for your buck”, and longest time to experience luxury, flying from Los Angeles (LAX) to Dubai (DXB) over a distance of about 8300 miles, and in air time of about 16 hours, costs a mere $100,00-150,000.

Other non-flight options to Dubai?

Yes, you can literally sail into Dubai. Some cruise and yacht lines offer cruises to Dubai or include a stop in Dubai.  My family and friends were booked on one such cruise in December 2023, though unfortunately, we were not able to go on it in the end.  It still remains on our bucket list.  Cruise lines like MSC, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Viking, Disney, and even Regent Seven Seas offer routes that either start, end, or pass through Dubai. The flexible Scotiabank Scene+ points would be top contenders (in Canada) for travel redemption for the cruise purchase.

Getting to Dubai – Takeaway

Whether flying Emirates First, cruising in on a yacht, or flying private, there are endless ways to reach Dubai. And if you don’t fly in on the A380? No worries. Head to the Dubai Mall and try the Emirates A380 simulator. It won’t get you Skywards miles, but it might just convince you to book that next trip. See you in the desert!