Dubai with Points: Business Class + 5-Star Hotel for a Fraction of the Price

Half past ten in the evening, gate A52 at Brussels Airport. While most passengers inflate their neck pillows and prepare for six hours in a cramped economy seat, I walk to the priority queue with just my carry-on. Moments later I'm sitting in a fully flat business class seat on Emirates, with a glass of champagne in my hand and Brussels' light pollution slowly disappearing beneath me. Dubai with points. Honestly, it still feels surreal.

And yet: this trip was planned with points. No cash. No upgrade lottery. Just a deliberate strategy with my Amex Platinum and a dose of patience. I paid €78.50 in airport taxes. That was it.

Let me take you through how I pulled this off. Because if you're reading this and thinking "that's surely only for people with sky-high salaries or frequent flyers who travel every week": no. I'm an ordinary Belgian who's smart about points.

How I earned enough points for business class BRU to Dubai

The basics are simpler than you think. With the American Express Platinum card you earn a standard 1 Membership Rewards point per €1 you spend. Activate the Booster option (€10 per month extra), and that becomes 4 points per euro. That changes everything.

Let's do the maths. My monthly spending via the Amex: groceries, fuel, insurance, online purchases, restaurant visits. On average around €2,500 per month. With the Booster that yields 10,000 points per month. In a year you've accumulated 120,000 points, on top of the welcome bonus.

And that welcome bonus is crucial. Via the TravelLux.be referral link you receive up to 150,000 Membership Rewards points as a welcome bonus. That's more than what you get from applying directly on the Amex website. With those 150,000 points alone you can book a return business class flight to Dubai.

How does the transfer system work? You transfer your Membership Rewards points to an airline partner. For Dubai you have a few options. Emirates Skywards is the most direct: 62,500 points for a one-way business class trip on BRU–DXB. Return that's 125,000 points. But I went for a smarter route.

The smart transfer route: via Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer to Emirates

Honestly, I'd learned this trick from a Canadian points blog, and it works for us Belgians too. Instead of transferring directly to Emirates Skywards, I went via Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer. Why? Because KrisFlyer sometimes offers more favourable award rates for Star Alliance and partner airlines, and the availability of business class seats is better.

My actual route was Brussels (BRU) to Dubai (DXB), with a stopover in Singapore that I planned as a mini holiday. Total points cost: 98,000 KrisFlyer miles for the return flight in business class. Since Amex Membership Rewards points transfer 1-to-1 to KrisFlyer, I needed exactly 98,000 points. The rest of my points I saved for the hotel.

Another tip I'm happy to share: book your award flight at least 3 to 4 months in advance. The availability of business class award seats on popular routes like BRU–DXB is limited, especially during the winter months (peak season for Dubai). I booked in September for a trip in January. That gave me plenty of choice.

Four nights at a 5-star hotel in Dubai via Fine Hotels + Resorts

The flight ticket was sorted. Now the hotel. And this is where one of the most underrated benefits of the Amex Platinum comes into play: the Fine Hotels + Resorts programme (FHR).

Via FHR, as a Platinum cardholder you have access to more than 14,000 luxury hotels worldwide. In Dubai alone there are dozens on the list: the Waldorf Astoria on the Palm, the Four Seasons on Jumeirah Beach, the Armani Hotel in the Burj Khalifa, the Mandarin Oriental. All 5-star hotels where you'd normally pay at least €400 to €800 per night.

I chose the Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah. Four nights. The room rate via FHR was comparable to what you'd pay on Booking.com, but on top of that I received for free:

If I add up those benefits, I arrive at an added value of around €650 over four nights. The breakfast alone was already €55 per person per day. That's €440 for two people over four days. The room upgrade and hotel credit did the rest.

Equally important: you book FHR hotels directly via the Amex Travel portal or by phone through the concierge. It's not a complicated system. You select your hotel, your dates, and the FHR benefits are automatically applied. Simple.

What I did in Dubai (and where the Amex Platinum helped even more)

Dubai is a city that overwhelms you. That sounds like a cliché, but it's simply true. The first morning I stood on the balcony of my suite looking out over the Palm with the Marina skyline to the right. The water was so turquoise it looked unreal.

We did four full days. Day one: the Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa. No queue at the "At the Top" experience, because I'd arranged priority tickets through the Amex concierge. Day two: a desert safari at sunset, booked with Amex Offers (15% discount). Day three: relaxing at the hotel beach and dining at Nobu in the Atlantis in the evening. Day four: the souks of Deira, buying gold (yes, really), and saying goodbye to that absurd skyline.

What struck me: the Amex Platinum is accepted virtually everywhere in Dubai. Hotels, restaurants, shops, even the taxi service. And because there are no foreign transaction fees on overseas payments, you pay exactly the local price converted to euros. No hidden costs.

At Brussels Airport I had already benefited from the Fast Lane security (free as a Platinum holder, normally €169 per year). In the lounge I had a warm meal and leisurely drank a coffee, while others were queuing at the gate. Those are the little luxuries that make your trip more enjoyable even before departure.

In Dubai itself, with Priority Pass you have access to lounges at DXB Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. The Emirates lounge in Terminal 3 is spectacular: freshly prepared food, showers, and a tranquility you wouldn't expect at such a gigantic airport. And yes, your guest can join for free.

The total savings: what did this Dubai trip really cost?

Let me be honest and lay out all the costs side by side. I value transparency, and I think it helps you decide for yourself whether this strategy is something for you.

What I would normally have paid without points:

What I actually paid:

Savings: over €4,300. And I'm not even counting the welcome bonus of 150,000 points as a "cost", because you simply receive those by applying for your card and using it as you always have.

I think it's important to emphasise: the Amex Platinum costs €780 per year. That's not a small amount. But if you actively use the benefits (lounges, FHR, Dining for 2 at top Belgian restaurants, the Fast Lane, the travel insurance), you easily earn back that fee two to three times over. On TravelLux.be I've previously calculated that the value of all benefits combined can exceed €2,500 per year. That's not marketing talk: those are simply the numbers.

Practical tips for Belgian travellers who want to do Dubai with points

After three years of travelling with this card, I've learned a few lessons I'm happy to pass on.

Start with the welcome bonus. Those 150,000 points are your springboard. Without that bonus you'll need to save much longer, and honestly the strategy loses its power. Apply for the card via a referral link (such as the one from TravelLux.be) to guarantee that maximum bonus.

Activate the Booster option straight away. For €10 per month extra you go from 1 to 4 points per euro. On an annual basis that yields tens of thousands of extra points. If you spend €2,000 monthly via the card, that's the difference between 24,000 and 96,000 points per year. That difference is literally a business class flight.

Timing is everything with award flights. The best availability for business class seats on routes to Dubai is found 3 to 6 months before departure. Summer months (June, July, August) are easier to book because it's low season in Dubai. In winter (November to March) availability is more limited, but the city is at its most beautiful then.

Don't forget Fine Hotels + Resorts. Many Platinum holders don't know about this programme or think it's only for ultra-luxury. In reality, room rates are often identical to what you find on Booking.com, but with €400 to €650 in free extras. That's pure return on your annual fee.

Use the concierge for special reservations. Amex's 24/7 concierge team has excellent connections in Dubai. They can make restaurant reservations at places that are booked out months ahead, arrange VIP experiences, and even organise private transfers. I used this myself for a table at Zuma and it worked flawlessly.

Finally: combine your Dubai trip with a stopover. Via Singapore Airlines you can include a free stopover in Singapore on your award ticket. Two destinations for the price of one. I didn't do that this time, but the next trip is already planned: BRU–SIN–DXB–BRU.

Frequently asked questions about travelling to Dubai with points