Dubai Airport Arrivals (DXB)

Flight Arrivals at Dubai Airport

Passengers arriving at Dubai International Airport and planning to travel onwards via connecting flights will find all three terminals at Dubai International Airport are linked via a convenient shuttle bus. It takes about 20 minutes to reach Terminal 2, and 30 minutes to reach Terminal 3 from Terminal 1. Within the vast Terminal 3 building all concourses are linked via an automated people mover to speed up transfers.

All visitors arriving at Dubai International Airport need a visa, unless they are from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oma, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Other passengers should check the latest visa rules on the General Directorate of Residency & Foreign Affairs website or contact their nearest Dubai embassy.

Passengers can apply for a tourist visa, which lasts for 30 days from the day the passenger enters the United Arab Emirates, by contacting the Dubai Department of Naturalisation and Residency website or calling 800 5111 (local) or international +971 (0) 4 313 9999. A visa application must be made before arriving in Dubai. Passengers with a query regarding their visa should seek advice at the immigration and visa office in Terminal 3's arrivals zone near Entrance 1. This office is open 24 hours a day.

The Red Line Metro connects Terminals 1 and 3 with Dubai city, but there are also three bus lines that link the airport with city destinations. Bus Line F55A connects the airport and Satwa Bus Station, when the Red Line Metro is not in operation. Bus Line F55 runs between the airport and Ibn Battuta Metro Station every hour during the metro's operational hours. Bus Line N55 links Dubai Airport Arrivals and Al Ghubaiba Bus Station, when the Red Line Metro is not operational.

Passengers need to purchase a NO1 smart card before travelling. The basic Silver card costs AED25.00 per person, which includes an e-purse of AED19.00. There are 7 travel zones to choose from. The fare is calculated at the end of the journey, when passengers check out at the station.

The taxi stands are located just outside the terminal buildings. A typical taxi fare (one-way) from Dubai Airport to the city costs ca. AED80.00 (about US$22.00) for three passengers sharing a cab. A pick-up in an MPV van for up to four passengers at a city centre location would cost around AED315.00 for a trip to the airport.

Dubai city has a wealth of tourist attractions to offer, among them The Palm Jumeirah, a man-made island in the shape of a palm tree. It is one of the world's largest man-made islands and simply brimming with luxury hotels, including the Waldorf Astoria, One&Only and Fairmont, as well as the famous Atlantis, The Palm. A monorail takes tourists along the "trunk" of the palm that links to the mainland's tram system.

Less than 20 minutes' drive from Downtown Dubai there's the Arabian Desert, where visitors can experience off-roading safaris, ride camels, go quad biking or sand-boarding before enjoying a traditional barbeque.

Visitors interested in Dubai's heritage will find the Al Fahidi Heritage District in Bur Dubai fascinating. It is one of the oldest inhabited communities in the city and its atmospheric maze of winding alleyways is best explored on foot.

Buying the Dubai Pass from the nearest tourist office can save up to 60% on some ticket prices at Dubai's best tourist attractions, such as a visit to the famous Burj Khalifa skyscraper for example.