Dubai · United Arab Emirates
DXB — Dubai International
One of the world's busiest transfer hubs, and the walks prove it
Dubai International exists primarily to move connecting passengers between continents, and its scale reflects that. Terminal 3 alone is among the largest airport buildings in the world, and a gate-to-gate walk inside it can take twenty-five minutes without anything going wrong.
For a connection this works well, with the transfer process designed around it. For a visit to Dubai itself the airport is unusually close to the city, and the Metro runs directly from two of the terminals.
Terminals and how they connect
Terminal 3
Vast, with concourses A, B and C. Concourse A is a separate satellite building reached by an underground automated train, so 'Terminal 3' can still mean a substantial internal journey. Mostly used for long-haul traffic.
Terminal 1
Concourse D, connected to Terminal 3 airside by a walkway and shuttle, which makes transfers between the two straightforward without leaving security.
Terminal 2
On the opposite side of the airfield, several kilometres away by road with no airside link. A connection involving Terminal 2 and either of the others is a taxi or bus ride and a fresh check-in, and needs planning as a separate journey.
Getting into Dubai
Times below are realistic ranges rather than best cases. Rail journeys keep to a timetable; road journeys do not, and treating the two the same is how people miss flights.
Dubai Metro Red Line
20 to 45 minutes
Stations at Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 run into Deira, Downtown Dubai, the Marina and beyond. Cheap, air-conditioned and frequent. It does not run all night and starts later on Fridays, so check against your arrival time.
Taxi
15 to 40 minutes
Plentiful, metered, and inexpensive by the standards of most major cities. The default for a late arrival or with a lot of luggage, and the ranks outside arrivals are well organised.
Ride-hailing
15 to 40 minutes
Widely used, with designated pickup zones. Usually a little more than a metered taxi but easier if you have no local currency or phone plan.
Hotel transfers and buses
30 to 60 minutes
Many hotels run their own transfers, and public buses serve the terminals cheaply. Worth checking what your accommodation includes before booking anything separately.
Connecting through DXB
Transfers between Terminal 3 and Terminal 1 are designed to be done airside and are generally smooth, though the walking distances are long and the moving walkways are there for a reason. Allow for the internal train if your gate is in concourse A. What needs genuine attention is Terminal 2, which has no secure connection to the rest of the airport at all — an itinerary pairing Terminal 2 with Terminal 1 or 3 means exiting, travelling several kilometres by road and checking in again, which is a very different proposition from a normal connection.
Worth knowing before you fly
Long layovers here are usable
Dubai's transit visa arrangements, the Metro from the terminal and the airport's own hotels and lounges mean a six or eight hour connection does not have to be spent in a departure hall. Confirm your own entry requirements before planning to leave the airport.
Summer heat changes what is realistic
Between June and September, daytime temperatures make anything outdoors genuinely difficult. A layover plan built around walking around the city in July is a plan that will not survive contact with the afternoon.
Know your concourse, not just your terminal
A Terminal 3 boarding pass might mean a ten-minute walk or a train ride to a satellite concourse. Check the concourse letter and give yourself the extra time if it is A.
Terminal assignments, transit timetables and fares all change. Confirm the details that matter to your trip with the airport or transport operator before you travel.
Routes through DXB
Flying to Dubai
FAQ
DXB — common questions
Terminals, transfers and getting into the city.
How do you get from Dubai airport into the city?
The Metro Red Line has stations at Terminals 1 and 3 and runs into Deira, Downtown Dubai and the Marina, taking 20 to 45 minutes depending on how far you are going. It is cheap and frequent but does not operate all night. Taxis are plentiful, metered and inexpensive by international standards, taking 15 to 40 minutes, and are the better option late at night or with heavy luggage.
Are Dubai airport terminals connected?
Terminals 1 and 3 are connected behind security, so a transfer between them does not require leaving the secure area — though the walk is long and concourse A of Terminal 3 needs an internal train. Terminal 2 is on the other side of the airfield with no airside link at all, so a connection involving it means exiting, a road transfer of several kilometres and checking in again.
Is a long layover in Dubai worth leaving the airport for?
Often yes, given the Metro runs from the terminal and the city is close. Whether you can depends on your nationality's entry requirements, which you should confirm with UAE authorities rather than assume. Six hours or more makes it worthwhile outside the summer months; in July and August the heat makes an airport hotel or lounge the more sensible use of the time.
Still have a question? We're happy to explain — just call.
Call now — +1 (888) 410-4445 →