Having spotted affordable fares to Abu Dhabi, Andrew is keen to know how easy onward travel would be from there to his final destination – Dubai.
Q. Andrew
I am heading to Dubai for a wedding but when I look at the price of flights, I notice that Qantas and Emirates, which fly direct are more expensive than say Etihad, which flies into Abu Dhabi. I know that the two destinations are quite close geographically and wonder if it’s possible to actually fly into Abu Dhabi and travel across to Dubai by another means? And if it’s possible, would it cost as much as paying the extra to fly direct or would I still save?
Also, is there any difference in the service provided by the airlines?
A. Andrew, I have flown all three airlines via Dubai or Abu Dhabi and can honestly say that the service received on both Emirates and Etihad was comparable and really, couldn’t be faulted. Qantas didn’t quite meet my expectations on the occasion I travelled with it but it wasn’t so poor that I haven’t travelled with it since.
The last two times I have been to the UK, I have flown Etihad via Abu Dhabi, largely due to the competitively priced fares on offer at the time, and it is clear that this route is one that is growing in popularity.
So, now that I have hopefully allayed your fears about the quality of service and the airline in general, let’s get down to the nitty gritty of travelling between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The good news is that it’s incredibly easy to do so and it won’t cost you a cent.
Etihad, perhaps aware of the wish for people to get to Dubai, offers a free luxury coach transfer between Abu Dhabi, and Dubai and Al Ain, return. You will have to book a seat on the coach to ensure you’re not left stranded at the airport and this can be done easily online up to 24 hours prior to your departure. Or, you can contact Etihad’s Global Call Centre or a local office to book.
You can find out more at Etihad.com. Be sure to read the terms and conditions,
If, for whatever reason, you didn’t want to take the free luxury coach, a taxi will cost about 300AED (approx. $120) each way. Taxis are readily available at the airport and are a safe and reliable way to travel – just make sure you join the official taxi queue.
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