With the food and retail on offer in modern airports, the actual boarding of the plane can sometimes feel like an afterthought.
Dubai International Airport’s new Concourse D — due to open to the public on February 24 — is no different, tabloid! can reveal, having had a sneak preview of the area, which will serve all non-Emirates departures from the airport. It replaces Concourse C, which will be renovated and taken over by Emirates.
Here’s a look at what you can expect after passing through passport control the next time you fly out of Terminal 1.
Time to relax:
Dubai Duty Free’s Sinead Al Sibai wants you to make your flight on time, even as you are distracted by the new Fashion Boulevard at the concourse. The new design, built around a central atrium, means shorter walking distances to gates, which equals more time in the 7,000-plus square metres of retail space.
“You can see the retail outlets, you can see the F&B outlets, and then more importantly you can see the gates... You can relax,” says Al Sibai, VP of marketing at Dubai Duty Free, which with the new concourse now has a total of 33,000 square metres at the airport.
Another way to relax? Visit the Marhaba lounge, a much, much bigger space than is offered in other concourses (entry is payable). Or check out the spa on the ground floor.
The Web Shop (giving 5 per cent off!) lets passengers shop online ahead of time.
The shopping:
“The overall feeling [of the concourse] is like a department store,” Al Sibai says of the 1,000 square metre retail area, which has a total of 175 installations. New stores in the concourse include popular women’s fashion and accessories brand Tory Burch, and classic American jewellery Tiffany, which was previously on available to Emirates’ first class lounge guests in Concourse A.
Burberry also has a stand-alone store, stocking both men’s and women’s fashion and accessories. Polo Ralph Lauren makes a return to DDF, while men can also shop at and Paul Smith, Hugo Boss. Swiss watch and pen maker Mont Blanc now has its own area, while high-end luggage vendor Tumi will supply a suitcase for that new suit.
A lifestyle boutique has a wall full of sneakers, while the ladies fashion hub brings together brands such as Coach, Longchamp, Furla, Salvatore Ferragamo and jet-set specialist Michael Kors.
For children, a new concept has Fendi, Little Marc Jacobs, Sonia Rykiel and Boss Kids.
Of course there are electronics, including a premium shop with Apple, Samsung and Vertu products, and watches.
The food:
The dining options are so exciting they may influence who you fly with from now on.
Pret A Manger, the hit British sandwich shop, is opening its first UAE outlet here, in partnership with Emirates Leisure Retail (ELR). They are expected to open shops outside the airport in the coming year, too, so eventually there will be no need to fly in order to get that club sandwich. We’re told the menu will have about 70-75 per cent of the UK menu, with tweaks being made to sandwiches that usually feature bacon; there will be more vegetarian options on offer here. There are also coffee and pastries.
Austrian chef Wolfgang Puck, known for catering the Oscars every year as well as his now-closed steakhouse in The Address Downtown Dubai, is opening his first casual dining restaurant outside North America, and he’s chosen to do it in Dubai Airport. A quick look around The Kitchen By Wolfgang Puck on Monday revealed booth and bar seating, a display cabinet, and a sign promising “Food to go... Breakfast... Delicatessen... High Speed WiFi”.
Noodle House — already known to Dubai residents for its take on pan-Asian cuisine — will open next to Wolfgang Puck with one key difference from the city-based restaurants: They will be serving breakfast and will be open 24 hours.
Draft House plays on both the way of serving beer and the way the American football teams recruit their players. So yes — it’s a US inspired sports bar, with baseballs encased in wire cages on the ceiling. This is a new concept created by ELR.
Chocoholics, rejoice: One of the first outlet’s you’ll see in the concourse is Butlers Chocolate Cafe, which will serve six kinds of hot chocolate, including cookie hot chocolate, pretty much guaranteed to have you sleeping right through your flight. Sweet tooth still not satisfied? A Krispy Kreme shop has your back, and will sell you glazed doughnuts by the dozen. Expect overseas orders for the classics the next time you fly through.
Residents and tourists who love local favourites can continue to enjoy them airside, with outlets by Shawarmanji and Taquado; planespotters will love Yo Sushi, which has a window-side conveyor belt at the end of the runway, right where planes lift off.
