Business & First Class flights to Middle East
The airlines that redefined premium flying — Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad — fly nonstop from a dozen US cities. Twelve to fourteen hours in a suite with a door, then a hub that connects onward to the Maldives, India and Africa on the same ticket.
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New York
To
Dubai
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New York
To
Doha
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New York
To
Abu Dhabi
Contract fareFrom
New York
To
Tel Aviv
About flying premium to Middle East
This is the region where the journey is part of the trip. The three Gulf carriers built their reputations on the premium cabin, and each has a signature product: Qatar Airways Qsuite, the business-class seat with a closing door that most others have since copied; Emirates First Class, with fully enclosed suites and — on the A380 — an onboard shower spa; and Etihad, whose A380 First Apartment on the New York route is the largest premium seat regularly flown to the US. United also flies Polaris nonstop from Newark to Dubai, and Tel Aviv is served by El Al, United and Delta with lie-flat cabins.
Flight times. Count on 12–13 hours nonstop from New York, Boston or Washington to Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi; 14 hours from Chicago, Dallas or Houston; and 15½–16 hours from Los Angeles, San Francisco or Seattle. Tel Aviv is 10½–11 hours from New York. Most Gulf flights depart the US in the late morning or evening and arrive the following evening or early morning, which is why the flat bed and a real duvet matter more here than on any European route.
When to go. November through March is the season: daytime highs in the 70s and 80s Fahrenheit and clear skies. Christmas–New Year and January's Dubai Shopping Festival are the most expensive weeks. April–May and October are shoulder months. June through September is very hot (110°F is normal) but brings the lowest premium fares and hotel rates of the year, and if your plan is a stopover between the airport, an air-conditioned hotel and a plane to the Maldives, summer works. Note Ramadan dates each year: fares often dip during the month and spike for Eid. For Tel Aviv, March–May and September–November are ideal; Passover and the autumn holidays drive demand hard.
The hub advantage. Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi are four hours from the Maldives, three from Mumbai, seven from Bangkok and Singapore, and four to eight from Nairobi, Cape Town and the Seychelles. A one- to three-night stopover in the Gulf usually adds little or nothing to the fare, and you keep the same cabin on every leg. Emirates and Qatar Airways both run formal stopover programs with hotel packages.
Ground service. Emirates includes complimentary chauffeur-drive at both ends on First and most Business fares (a few discounted fare types exclude it — we will tell you which). Etihad offers it in First and on some Business fares. Qatar Airways does not, but its Al Mourjan lounge in Doha is one of the best business-class lounges anywhere, and Emirates' Terminal 3 lounges in Dubai occupy entire floors. All three carriers run their own lounges or partner lounges at their main US gateways.
Middle East flight questions
How much is business class to Dubai or Doha from the US?
Our negotiated starting fares are about $2,150 round trip to Dubai on Emirates, $2,390 to Doha on Qatar Airways and $3,200 to Abu Dhabi from New York for lead-time bookings; Tel Aviv starts around $2,900. Winter-season and Christmas travel, and West Coast departures, price higher. First Class on Emirates or Etihad is quoted on request.
Which Gulf airline has the best business class?
Qatar Airways Qsuite is the most consistently praised for privacy and the quad configuration for couples or families. Emirates wins on the A380 — the onboard bar and, in First, the shower — and on the sheer number of US cities it serves. Etihad's Business Studio and A380 Apartment are excellent on the New York route. All three are a clear step above most US and European business products.
Is there First Class to the Middle East from the US?
Yes. Emirates flies First Class on its 777s and A380s from most of its US gateways, and Etihad's A380 with the First Apartment operates from New York. Qatar Airways' First Class is A380-only and does not fly to the US, so Qsuite business is its top cabin on American routes.
Can I stop over in Dubai or Doha on the way to the Maldives or Asia?
Yes, and it is usually the smartest way to fly there. A stopover of one to three nights adds little to the fare, you stay in the same cabin for every segment, and both Emirates and Qatar Airways sell stopover hotel packages. Tell us the final destination and we will price the through-fare.
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