DXB Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 arrivals: where to meet your driver
DXB Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 arrivals: which airlines use each, where drivers wait, car park pickup points and fees, and drive times across Dubai.
Chauffeur operations specialist, Dubai · Updated · 9 min read
At DXB Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, you meet your driver inside the arrivals hall after customs, then walk to the terminal car park. Neither terminal has a kerbside pick-up lane: at Terminal 1, private cars haven’t been allowed on the arrivals forecourt since June 2023. Car Park A is a 2 to 3 minute walk at T1 and 3 to 5 minutes at T2.
Most international airlines other than Emirates land at Terminal 1. Terminal 2 handles flydubai and a long list of regional carriers. We handle chauffeur pickups at every DXB terminal, and the two terminals are different enough that it’s worth knowing which one you’re heading for before you land. If you’re flying Emirates, you want our Terminal 3 arrivals guide instead.
Which airlines use Terminal 1 and Terminal 2?
Dubai Airports describes Terminal 1’s D Gates as serving “numerous international carriers”, while Terminal 2 (the F Gates) handles regional and international flights. Its airline directory, checked in September 2026, includes these:
| Terminal | Examples of airlines (Dubai Airports directory) |
|---|---|
| Terminal 1 | British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, Swiss, Air France, KLM, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Saudia, Oman Air, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Air India, IndiGo, Delta |
| Terminal 2 | flydubai (most flights), Air India Express, SalamAir, Wizz Air, Transavia, Iraqi Airways, Nepal Airlines, RwandAir |
| Terminal 3 | Emirates, selected flydubai flights (FZ 1xxx), Qantas, United, Air Canada |
Some airlines split flights between terminals, and a few also use Al Maktoum International (DWC). The terminal on your booking wins over any list, including this one.
Arriving at Terminal 1: from the gate to the hall
Most Terminal 1 flights park at the D Gates. From there, Dubai Airports says, you take a short airport train to the main Terminal 1 building. After that the sequence is the familiar one: passport control, baggage claim, customs, then the arrivals hall.
Your chauffeur waits in the public area of the arrivals hall, just outside customs, holding a name board. From there it’s a short walk out of the building to the car park.
Where is the pick-up point at Terminal 1?
In the car park across the road. Dubai Airports’ FAQ says it plainly: there’s no pick-up area at arrivals, so everyone collecting passengers uses the car park. Since 8 June 2023, only public transport and authorised vehicles can use the Terminal 1 arrivals forecourt, a change Dubai Airports made to cut congestion.
| Car park at Terminal 1 | Walk to terminal | Dubai Airports published rates |
|---|---|---|
| Car Park A (Premium) | 2 to 3 min | AED 5 for 5 min, AED 15 for 15 min, AED 30 for 30 min, AED 40 up to 2 h, AED 125 per day |
| Car Park B (Economy) | 7 to 9 min | AED 25 for 1 h, AED 30 for 2 h, AED 45 for 4 h, AED 85 per day |
A private chauffeur parks in Car Park A and walks you across. Our price already includes the parking fee.
Ride-hailing works from the same car park. Uber’s instructions for Terminal 1 are to exit the building, turn right towards Car Park A1, cross the road and meet the driver at Pickup Areas 2 and 3. Careem and Bolt riders follow the app’s signage. Dubai Taxi ranks sit outside the terminal, and the Metro Red Line has a station at Terminal 1.
Arriving at Terminal 2
Terminal 2 sits on the north-east side of the airfield, near Al Qusais. It isn’t next to Terminals 1 and 3: by road it’s about 7 km from Terminal 3. That matters if someone books “DXB” without a terminal, because a driver waiting at the wrong building is 10 to 20 minutes away from you.
It’s a much smaller building than Terminal 1 or Terminal 3. After customs, your chauffeur meets you in the arrivals hall with a name board and walks you to the car park.
Where is the pick-up point at Terminal 2?
Also the car park. Uber’s route for Terminal 2: exit the building, turn right, follow the signs, turn left and cross the road into the car park, then walk straight to the pickup zone sign and turn left.
| Car park at Terminal 2 | Walk to terminal | Dubai Airports published rates |
|---|---|---|
| Car Park A (Premium) | 3 to 5 min | AED 30 for 1 h, AED 40 for 2 h, AED 65 for 4 h, AED 125 per day |
| Car Park B (Economy) | 10 to 12 min | AED 15 for 1 h, AED 20 for 2 h, AED 30 for 4 h, AED 70 per day |
Two things catch Terminal 2 passengers out:
- No Metro. Dubai Airports lists Metro Red Line stations at Terminals 1 and 3 only. From Terminal 2 it’s a taxi, bus, app ride or pre-booked car.
- flydubai flights can use either terminal. flydubai says its Terminal 3 flights have four-digit numbers starting with 1 (FZ 1xxx). If your flight number is three digits, plan for Terminal 2.
Moving between terminals
Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 sit side by side on the Garhoud side of the airport. Terminal 2 is the outlier.
| Between | By road | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 | a short drive | Side by side; both have Metro Red Line stations |
| Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 | about 7 km | flydubai’s connection buses run airside; flydubai’s minimum connection time is 120 minutes |
| DXB and DWC | about 60 km | You must enter the UAE and collect your bags; flydubai’s minimum connection is 4 hours |
If you’re changing terminals on separate tickets and need to leave the airport, we can do the short transfer with your bags. Emirates Chauffeur-drive, for comparison, doesn’t run between terminals or between airports. The DWC connection is covered in our Al Maktoum airport guide.
What to do if you can’t find your driver
The same rules as at Terminal 3 apply, with one local twist: at Terminal 1, don’t walk out to the forecourt expecting to be collected at the kerb. Private cars can’t stop there.
- Stay inside the arrivals hall near the customs exit.
- Call or WhatsApp the chauffeur on the number in your confirmation.
- No answer? Call our 24/7 line on +971 55 500 7952 and describe what you can see around you: a shop, a currency exchange, a door number.
- Check the terminal on your boarding pass. A driver waiting at Terminal 1 can’t see you at Terminal 2, so rule out a terminal mix-up early.
- Ignore anyone offering you a ride who isn’t your named driver or a marked Dubai Taxi at the official rank.
We track every flight and include 45 to 60 minutes of free waiting on airport pickups, so there’s no rush while you sort out bags or a SIM card.
Drive times from Terminals 1 and 2
Road distances on the fastest route, measured in our route checks. The time ranges run from a clear road to a normal weekday rush hour.
| To | From Terminal 1 | From Terminal 2 | Typical drive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deira | about 3 km | about 7 km | 5 to 20 min |
| DIFC | about 12 km | about 16 km | 15 to 30 min |
| Downtown Dubai | about 14 km | about 19 km | 15 to 35 min |
| Business Bay | about 16 km | about 21 km | 20 to 40 min |
| Palm Jumeirah (Atlantis) | about 36 km | about 40 km | 35 to 60 min |
| Dubai Marina | about 32 km | about 36 km | 30 to 60 min |
| Sharjah (Al Majaz) | about 13 km | about 12 km | 15 to 45 min |
| Ajman | about 24 km | about 26 km | 25 to 50 min |
The Sharjah and Ajman ranges are wide on purpose. The roads between Dubai and Sharjah carry heavy commuter traffic, into Dubai in the morning and back out in the evening, so the same trip can take far longer at 6 p.m. than at 11 a.m.
For a price comparison between a metered airport taxi and a pre-booked car from these terminals, see Dubai airport taxi fare vs private transfer.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the pick-up point at Dubai Airport Terminal 1?
In the Terminal 1 car park, not at the kerb. Private cars haven’t been allowed on the Terminal 1 arrivals forecourt since June 2023. Car Park A is a 2 to 3 minute walk from the terminal. A pre-booked chauffeur meets you inside the arrivals hall and walks you there. Uber pickups are at Car Park A1, Pickup Areas 2 and 3.
Can you pick up passengers at the Terminal 1 arrivals entrance?
No. Only public transport and authorised vehicles can use the Terminal 1 arrivals forecourt. Park in Car Park A (AED 5 for 5 minutes, AED 40 for up to 2 hours) or Car Park B (from AED 25 for an hour) and meet your passenger inside the arrivals hall.
Which airlines use Terminal 1 at Dubai Airport?
Most international airlines other than Emirates. Dubai Airports’ directory lists carriers such as British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Saudia, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Air India and Delta at Terminal 1. Emirates uses Terminal 3, and flydubai mostly uses Terminal 2.
Is flydubai Terminal 2 or Terminal 3?
Both. Most flydubai flights use Terminal 2, and selected routes use Terminal 3. flydubai’s Terminal 3 flights have four-digit flight numbers starting with 1, such as FZ 1xxx. A few flydubai flights also use Al Maktoum International (DWC), so always check the airport and terminal on your booking.
Is there a metro station at Terminal 2?
No. Dubai Airports lists Metro Red Line stations at Terminals 1 and 3 only. From Terminal 2 you can take a Dubai Taxi from the rank, a bus from the arrivals bus stand (Nol card only, no cash), a ride-hailing app from the car park pickup zone, or a pre-booked chauffeur.
How do I get from Terminal 2 to Terminal 3?
If you’re connecting on one ticket, follow the “Connections” signs to the airside transfer buses; flydubai sets a minimum connection time of 120 minutes. If you need to leave the airport, the terminals are about 7 km apart by road, so take a taxi or a pre-booked car.
Written by
Arshad HussainArshad Hussain has run chauffeur and limousine operations in Dubai since 2014: dispatch, fleet allocation, airport pickups and event transport.
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