Dubai Airport

About Dubai International Airport

Dubai International (DXB) is the world’s second busiest airport by international passenger traffic, handling around 86 million passengers a year. It is the global hub for Emirates and flydubai and sits just 5 km east of the city centre in the Garhoud district. The airport operates three terminals: Terminal 1 for most foreign carriers, Terminal 2 for flydubai and regional flights, and the giant Terminal 3 used exclusively by Emirates. Concourses A, B and C of Terminal 3 are connected by automated people movers and house Emirates’ First, Business and lounge facilities. The airport runs 24 hours a day, with peak landing waves between 22:00 and 04:00 driving much of the global connecting traffic that Emirates is built around.

Getting from DXB to Dubai

DXB’s central location is one of its biggest advantages. Deira and Bur Dubai are 10 minutes by road, Downtown Dubai with Burj Khalifa is around 20 minutes, and Dubai Marina or JBR sits 30 to 45 minutes away depending on Sheikh Zayed Road traffic. The Dubai Metro Red Line runs directly from Terminals 1 and 3 to Downtown and the Marina in 30 to 50 minutes. Salik road tolls apply on the main routes through the city, and these are bundled into any pre-booked transfer fare. RTA buses, official taxis and ride-share apps are all available, but a pre-booked transfer with meet-and-greet skips the rank queue that often forms at peak arrival waves.

Terminals and pickup points

DXB has three terminals, all on the same airport site. Terminal 3 (Emirates) and Terminal 1 (most other airlines) are connected airside, and Terminal 2 (flydubai) sits on the opposite side of the airfield. Pre-booked drivers wait at the Premium Meet and Greet area in the arrivals hall of the specific terminal listed in your booking, holding a name sign. The walk from arrivals to the dedicated pickup zone is short and signposted. Free shuttle buses connect Terminals 1 and 3 with Terminal 2 every 20 minutes if your booking pickup needs to move between zones for any reason.

Common transfer routes from DXB

The most-booked rides from DXB run to Downtown Dubai, Business Bay, DIFC, Jumeirah Beach, Dubai Marina, JBR and Palm Jumeirah. Onward transfers to Abu Dhabi take around 90 minutes by motorway, and rides to Sharjah are 20 to 40 minutes. Cruise passengers heading to Port Rashid or Dubai Harbour for embarkation also book transfers from DXB, with both terminals reached in 20 to 40 minutes depending on time of day. Day trips to the desert at Al Marmoom or to the Hatta enclave in the Hajar mountains can be combined with the airport pickup as a fixed-fare full-day charter for groups.

Booking your DXB transfer

Pre-booking takes about two minutes. Enter your flight number, terminal and party size, then pick a saloon, SUV, minivan or minibus. The fare is fixed and includes Salik tolls, the driver tracks your flight with a 60-minute free wait and free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before pickup. Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal and Alipay are all accepted at checkout. Child seats and booster seats can be added for a small fee, and night arrivals after midnight are covered at the same fixed fare with no late surcharge.