Dubai International Airport

Terminal 3: Emirates only (Concourses A, B, C). Concourse A is the A380-dedicated concourse. Terminal 1 / Concourse D: every other international carrier including BA, Lufthansa, KLM, Air France, United, American, Singapore Airlines, Cathay, Qatar, Korean Air, Saudia, Turkish, Egyptair. Terminal 2: low-cost carriers — flydubai, Air Arabia, Pegasus, Jazeera. T2 is on the opposite side of the airport from T1/T3 — a 20-30 minute drive.

Dubai Metro Red Line — AED 7 ($1.90), metro stations directly at T1 and T3. Covers all major hotel zones (Downtown Dubai, Marina, JBR, DIFC). Taxi AED 60-90 ($16-$25), Uber AED 50-120. Most 4*+ hotels offer free airport shuttle — confirm when booking. Avoid touts at arrivals — always use the official RTA taxi rank or pre-booked Uber.

Yes — DXB operates 24/7 with significant overnight traffic (Emirates runs scheduled long-haul departures 22:00-03:00). All shops, food courts and lounges in airside areas are open 24 hours. Sleep pods + day rooms available at Sleep 'n Fly (T1 + T3) from AED 100/hour. Marhaba and Plaza Premium lounges sell access by 3-hour blocks.

Within T3 (Emirates ↔ Emirates): 60 min minimum. T1 ↔ T3 (Emirates connecting to a non-Emirates carrier or vice versa): 90 min via airside connecting tunnel. T1 ↔ T2 (low-cost): 2-3 hours minimum — separate building, requires landside transit. Most non-Emirates carriers do not interline with flydubai/Air Arabia, so a separate ticket is the only way and timing is your risk.

Yes — most nationalities (US, UK, EU, Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, Singapore) get visa-free 30-90 day entry on arrival. UAE visa-on-arrival is processed in 5-15 minutes. Allow 3-4 hours minimum round trip if visiting Downtown. Quick options: Mall of the Emirates (Metro Red Line, 30 min) for the indoor ski slope; Dubai Mall (60 min via metro) for the Burj Khalifa view. Avoid mid-day in summer (45°C+).

DXB (Dubai International) is the current main airport in the city. DWC (Al Maktoum International) is the new mega-airport in the southern desert opening in phases through 2030 — eventually becoming the world's largest airport. Currently DWC handles cargo + small passenger volume, mostly flydubai + low-cost. Long-term, Emirates will relocate from DXB to DWC and DXB will be repurposed for property development.