Dubai Airport Profile

Know Before You Fly: Staying At Hotels Near Dubai International Airport

Dubai International Airport (or just Dubai Airport, DXB) is in the Garhood / Garhoud area of Dubai. A second international airport is under construction in the Jebel Ali area, called Al Maktoum International Airport.

Previously the new airport was to be known as Dubai World Central International Airport, and previous to that was Jebel Ali Airport, Jebel Ali International Airport, Jebel Ali Airport City, or Dubai International Airport City. Both airports are owned and operated by Dubai Airports (a catchy name for a company in the airport business wouldn’t you say?).

– Dubai Airport opened on 30 September 1960. By 1969 there were 9 airlines to 20 destinations, by 2004 there were 107 airlines to more than 160 destinations. As of June 2008 there are 120 airlines flying to 205 destinations.

– Terminal 1 connects to the new Sheikh Rashid Terminal (concourse) which opened in April 2000, and is used for most commercial flights to Dubai. Passenger capacity was increased to about 25 million passengers per year, which meant the new terminal was only good for 5 years before busting its gaskets. Prior to the opening of the Sheikh Rashid Terminal, the Terminal 1 building was also the concourse for flight arrivals and departures.

– Terminal 2 is used mostly for business and charter flights.

– Terminal 3 (and concourse 2), originally expected to be completed in 2006 but not open until 14 October 2008, is dedicated to Emirates Airlines passengers. Total capacity of Dubai Airport up to 60 million passengers per year with the opening of T3.

– Another A380 specific facility (concourse 3), with longer ladders for the upstairs passengers, was expected to open in 2009 but that’s been pushed back to 2011. This, together with the new terminal 3 and concourse 2, will increase capacity to 70-80 million passengers per year (various figures seen – April 2009 reports said 80m). Which sounds like a lot, but at current growth rates the doors won’t close anymore by about 2012/2013. However, by then the new airport at Jebel Ali should be taking up some of the strain.

– An e-gate card is available for residents and visitors, a very handy short cut to the ever lengthening queues at passport control.

– Dubai International Airport was voted Best in the Middle East and Africa for 2005 by Business Traveller Magazine Germany.

– DXB postal address: Department of Civil Aviation, Dubai International Airport, PO Box 2525, Dubai, UAE

– Telephone + 971 4 2162525 or + 971 4 2166333. Flight information tel +971 4 2166666.