DXB Terminal 3 arrivals: where to meet your driver

At DXB Terminal 3 arrivals, you meet your driver inside the arrivals hall, straight after customs. A chauffeur with your name board waits in the public meeting area in front of the exits, then walks you two to three minutes to the car in the Terminal 3 car park, because Dubai Airports has no pick-up lane at arrivals. If your transfer company uses DXB Greet & Go, you scan a QR code at a kiosk instead.

We run chauffeur pickups at Dubai airport around the clock, at every terminal. This guide follows the route an arriving passenger actually walks, from the aircraft door to the car door, and ends with what to do when you and your driver can’t find each other.

Who arrives at Terminal 3?

Emirates says all of its flights arrive and depart from Terminal 3. Dubai Airports lists the terminal’s three concourses (A, B and C Gates) as used mainly by Emirates, flydubai, United and Air Canada, and its airline directory also shows Qantas at T3.

flydubai is the one to check. Only selected flydubai flights use Terminal 3, and flydubai says those carry four-digit flight numbers starting with 1 (FZ 1xxx). A three-digit FZ number normally means Terminal 2, which works differently; our Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 arrivals guide covers it.

Tell us the flight number, not just “Terminal 3”. We track the flight, and the flight number is what tells us which terminal and which arrival time to plan the chauffeur around.

From the aircraft to the arrivals hall

Terminal 3 is big. How long the walk takes depends mostly on which gate you land at.

You land at	How you reach passport control
A Gates	A short ride on the airport train to the main building
B Gates	On foot; B Gates sit in the main Terminal 3 building
C Gates	On foot through the walkway between C and B Gates

Dubai Airports confirms the train link to A Gates and the walking route between B and C. Its FAQ also mentions a free TaxiDXB buggy service in Concourses B and C, useful if someone in your group finds the long corridors hard going.

After that the order is always the same:

1. Passport control. Counters plus smart gates, which residents and eligible visitors can use.
2. Baggage claim. Emirates’ published arrivals map shows the belts numbered 1 to 14.
3. Duty free. The arrivals duty free shop sits just before customs.
4. Customs. Once through, the doors open into the arrivals hall.

The arrivals hall is a long, single space. Emirates’ map shows four exits along it, Exit 1 to Exit 4, with the First and Business Class Chauffeur-drive desk near Exit 4 and a left-luggage counter near Exit 1.

Where do chauffeurs wait at Terminal 3 arrivals?

Private chauffeurs, hotel drivers and family members wait in the public area of the arrivals hall, facing the customs exit. That’s where our chauffeur stands, holding a name board with the lead passenger’s name (or a company name, if you prefer discretion).

Your booking confirmation carries the chauffeur’s name and mobile number. Save it before you fly. Phones sometimes take a few minutes to find a network after landing, and it helps to have the number ready rather than searching old emails in the baggage hall.

Two groups skip this meeting area:

• Emirates First and Business Class passengers with Chauffeur-drive booked check in at the Emirates Chauffeur-drive desk near Exit 4. Our Emirates chauffeur service guide explains who qualifies.
• Passengers booked on a Greet & Go pickup head to the Greet & Go kiosk instead of looking for a sign.

DXB Greet & Go: the QR-code meeting point

DXB Greet & Go is Dubai Airports’ own meeting point in the Terminal 3 arrivals area. It launched on 9 July 2025, and Dubai Airports describes it as an alternative to traditional guest paging (drivers holding signs).

How it works, according to Dubai Airports’ announcement:

1. A licensed hotel, limousine company or tour operator registers its drivers and vehicles on the Greet & Go portal.
2. Before you land, that company sends you a personal QR code.
3. In the arrivals hall, you scan the code at the Greet & Go kiosk. The screen shows your driver, the car’s registration number and where it’s parked.
4. A member of the Greet & Go team walks you to the car.

Dubai Airports hasn’t published a guest fee for the service. It’s arranged through your hotel or transfer provider, so the simple rule is this: if your confirmation includes a Greet & Go QR code, go to the kiosk; if it names a chauffeur and a name board, look for your name in the meeting area. Ask your provider which method they’re using before you fly.

Where is the pick-up point at Terminal 3?

The car is in the Terminal 3 multi-storey car park, not at the kerb. Dubai Airports’ FAQ is blunt about it: “We do not have a pick-up area at Arrivals. Please use our car park facility, available at all terminals.” The car park is a 2 to 3 minute walk from the terminal.

That’s why a chauffeur meets you inside and walks you out, rather than waiting outside with the engine running. Our quoted price already includes airport parking, so you never pay the car park machine.

How you’re leaving	Where to go from the arrivals hall
Private chauffeur	Your chauffeur meets you in the hall and walks you to the car park
Greet & Go pickup	Greet & Go kiosk, then staff escort you to the car
Uber	Exit 2, cross the road, take the tunnel into the car park, turn right, pickup at Level 1 or Level 3 (Uber’s own instructions)
Careem, Bolt	Follow the app’s pickup signage from the hall
Taxi	Dubai Taxi ranks outside the terminal, 24/7 (fares compared with a private transfer)
Metro	Red Line station at Terminal 3; up to two pieces of luggage including hand luggage

A friend collecting you pays for parking. Dubai Airports’ published rates for Terminal 3 are AED 5 for 5 minutes, AED 15 for 15 minutes, AED 30 for 30 minutes, AED 40 up to 2 hours and AED 125 for a full day. Salik is accepted at the exit if the fee hasn’t been paid.

Uber riders also have a waiting lounge. Dubai Airports lists an Uber lounge in the Terminal 3 arrivals Uber pick-up area, with air conditioning, seating, luggage space and charging points.

How long does it take to get out of Terminal 3?

There isn’t one honest number. The things that make the difference:

• Gate. A Gates add the train ride. Far C Gates add a long walk.
• Passport control. Smart gates are quick. Long counter queues build when several wide-body flights land together.
• Checked bags. Hand luggage only can cut the wait considerably.
• Special assistance or large groups. Wheelchair assistance and families with several trolleys take longer, and that’s fine.

We don’t guess. We track the flight, and every airport pickup includes 45 to 60 minutes of free waiting, so a slow baggage belt doesn’t turn into a charge. If you’re stuck at the belt or in a long queue, send a WhatsApp and the chauffeur stays put.

What to do if you can’t find your driver

It happens: a phone that hasn’t connected yet, or a passenger who walks straight past the meeting area towards the taxis. Here’s the order we ask passengers to follow:

1. Stay inside the arrivals hall. Don’t head out to the kerb or into the car park alone. Your chauffeur is looking for you in the hall.
2. Note the nearest exit number. The hall exits are numbered 1 to 4. It’s the fastest way to describe where you are.
3. Call or WhatsApp the chauffeur on the number in your confirmation.
4. No answer? Call our 24/7 line on +971 55 500 7952 and give your exit number and what you’re wearing. Dispatch will talk the chauffeur to you.
5. No phone or no battery? Ask one of Dubai Airports’ Guest Experience Ambassadors or an information desk to call the number for you.
6. Ignore unofficial ride offers. Uber’s own DXB guidance warns against accepting off-app trips from people soliciting in the terminal. The same applies to anyone who isn’t your named chauffeur.

Drive times from Terminal 3

These are road distances on the fastest route from the Terminal 3 car park, measured in our route checks. The ranges run from a clear road to a normal weekday rush hour. Salik’s peak toll windows (6 to 10 a.m. and 4 to 8 p.m., Monday to Saturday) are a fair guide to when roads are busiest.

From Terminal 3 to	Road distance	Typical drive
Deira (City Centre Deira)	about 5 km	10 to 20 min
DIFC	about 13 km	15 to 30 min
Downtown Dubai	about 15 km	15 to 35 min
Business Bay	about 16 km	20 to 35 min
Madinat Jumeirah / Umm Suqeim	about 27 km	25 to 45 min
Dubai Marina / JBR	about 33 to 37 km	30 to 60 min
Palm Jumeirah (Atlantis)	about 37 km	35 to 60 min
Sharjah (Al Majaz)	about 15 km	20 to 45 min
Abu Dhabi city	about 150 km	1 h 40 min to 2 h

For four passengers with checked bags, book a luxury SUV, not a sedan. A business sedan’s boot holds about two large suitcases, and long-haul baggage allowances fill it fast.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the pick-up point at Dubai Airport Terminal 3?

There’s no kerbside pick-up lane at Terminal 3 arrivals. Dubai Airports directs all pickups to the Terminal 3 car park, a 2 to 3 minute walk from the arrivals hall. A private chauffeur meets you inside the hall and walks you there. Uber pickups are at Level 1 or Level 3 of the car park, reached through Exit 2 and the tunnel.

Can I pick someone up from Terminal 3 arrivals?

Yes, but you park in the Terminal 3 car park and meet them inside the arrivals hall. Parking costs AED 5 for 5 minutes, AED 30 for 30 minutes and AED 40 for up to 2 hours at Dubai Airports’ published rates. Waiting at the kerb isn’t allowed, so give yourself time to park before the flight lands.

Where do I meet my driver at Dubai airport Terminal 3?

In the arrivals hall, after you pass through customs. Private drivers wait in the public meeting area facing the customs exit, holding name boards. Emirates Chauffeur-drive passengers go to the Emirates desk near Exit 4 instead, and Greet & Go passengers scan their QR code at the Greet & Go kiosk.

What is DXB Greet & Go?

It’s Dubai Airports’ QR-code meeting point in the Terminal 3 arrivals area, launched in July 2025. Registered hotels, limousine companies and tour operators send you a QR code; you scan it at the kiosk, see your driver and car details, and staff walk you to the vehicle. It only works if your provider is registered.

Does flydubai arrive at Terminal 3?

Some flights do. flydubai operates selected routes from Terminal 3, and those flights have four-digit numbers starting with 1, such as FZ 1xxx. Most other flydubai flights use Terminal 2. Check the flight number on your booking and send it to your transfer company so the chauffeur goes to the right terminal.