By Mohammed Rashad Hussain, Managing PartnerPublished 4 min read
What are the steps from the aircraft door to the arrivals hall?
Every arrival at Dubai International (DXB) follows the same five steps.
- Gate to passport control. Follow the arrivals signs. At the D Gates in Terminal 1 and the A Gates in Terminal 3, an airport train carries you to the main building.
- Passport control. Use a staffed desk or, if you are eligible, a Smart Gate.
- Baggage reclaim. Find your flight on the screens and collect your bags from the belt.
- Customs. Walk through the customs doors. Declare anything that needs declaring.
- Arrivals hall. Your driver, a taxi rank or the metro are all reached from here.
Which terminal you use depends on your airline. Our guide to every UAE airport lists them, and the terminal pages cover Terminal 1, Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 in detail.
Who can use the Smart Gates at DXB?
Dubai Airports lists these groups, all with a biometric passport:
- Emirati and GCC citizens
- UAE residents
- Visa-on-arrival visitors
- Returning tourists
Families with children, anyone under 1.2 metres tall, guests with large strollers and people of determination go to a staffed counter instead. First-time users register at the passport control touchpoint. After that you look at the green light and walk through.
Take off masks, glasses or hats before you reach the gate, and keep your passport and boarding pass in your hand.
| Terminal | Arrival immigration counters | Smart Gates | Baggage carousels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terminal 1 | 45 | 20 | 8 |
| Terminal 2 | 36 | 10 | 6 |
| Terminal 3 | 72 | 40 | 14 |
These counts come from the Dubai Airports fact files. The Terminal 2 file dates from December 2019 and also lists 38 counters in one place, so treat that row as approximate.
Do you need a visa before you land?
Maybe. Some nationalities get a free visa on arrival, while others must hold a visa before they board. Dubai Airports also advises checking the entry rules of your final destination before you leave Dubai.
We do not restate those rules here, because they change. Read our guide to the UAE visa on arrival and the visit visa arrival guide, or browse the visa pages. Questions at the airport go to the GDRFA office in Terminal 3 arrivals, near Entrance 1, which is open 24/7.
What can you bring through Dubai Customs?
Dubai Airports gives these limits on its arrivals page:
- Gifts: up to AED 3,000 in value, for personal use.
- Cash and valuables: travellers aged 18 and over must declare cash, cheques, payment orders, precious metals or stones worth more than AED 60,000, or the foreign-currency equivalent. A child’s amount is added to the parent’s or guardian’s.
- Tobacco and alcohol: not for travellers under 18. Check the current quantities on the Dubai Customs site before you pack, because published figures differ between sources.
- Medicines: controlled drugs and some prescription medicines need a permit before arrival. Read our guide to bringing medication into the UAE before you fly.
You can declare goods in advance with the iDeclare app. Undeclared items can mean delays or fines.
How long does it usually take to get out of DXB?
There is no official figure, so we will not invent one. Time depends on how many large aircraft land together, the length of the passport queue and how long your bags take to appear.
What we can say is where the delay tends to come from. A Terminal 1 wide-body has 45 counters to share, and a Smart Gate saves time only if you qualify. Your chauffeur follows your real landing time and waits for you, so a slow queue does not cost you the pickup.
Getting online and cash before you leave the terminal
Sort your phone before you land. Switch it on at the baggage belt, because your chauffeur sends the meeting point on WhatsApp. If you need local cash, ask a Guest Experience Ambassador in the hall where the nearest exchange desk is. Terminal 1 arrivals has a Travelex desk.
Where does your chauffeur meet you, and how do you reach them?
Your Assure chauffeur stands in the arrivals hall of your terminal, just beyond the customs doors, holding a board with your name. VIP guests are welcomed in person.
Dubai Airports has no pick-up area at arrivals, so private cars wait in a car park. Your chauffeur walks you and your bags there. Our meet and greet explainer compares our service with the airport’s own, and our DXB pickup page covers all three terminals. Questions about your trip are answered in the FAQ.
Checklist for your first hour in Dubai
- Confirm the terminal on your booking and send it to your chauffeur with your flight number.
- Have your passport, boarding pass and visa paperwork in one place before the desks.
- Switch your phone on at the belt and read the WhatsApp message.
- Declare cash above AED 60,000 and any medicine that needs a permit.
- Walk out through customs and look for the board with your name.
- Tell your chauffeur if you are delayed. The pickup follows your landing time.
Photos in this guide
Travelator through the baggage reclaim hall at Dubai International, between screens reading Welcome to DubaiAhmed / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Baggage reclaim belts and travelators in the Terminal 3 arrivals hall at Dubai International in 2009DearEdward / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Arrivals exit at Dubai International, with signs to the metro and taxisAhmed / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
