Group pickup at DXB, terminal by terminal

The decision you are making

Your group is flying into Dubai International and you need to know where the driver will be, what happens if the flight is late, and how a crowd of 40 finds one coach. Those are three separate questions, and the answers depend on the terminal.

This guide is about the airport end of a group transfer. The vehicle and the hotel end are covered in other guides, and we link to them below.

Which terminal is your flight using?

DXB has three passenger terminals. The terminal depends on the airline and sometimes the route. As a general pattern, Terminal 3 is the main terminal for Emirates, Terminal 1 serves a large number of international airlines, and Terminal 2 handles flydubai and some other carriers. That pattern can change, so treat it as a pointer, not a fact. Your airline or ticket shows the terminal for your flight, and the airport publishes the current allocation.

If the group is on several airlines, you may have several terminals. A group of 36 with 20 on one airline and 16 on another is two pickups, possibly at two terminals. Tell us each flight number and we check which terminal applies. Do not assume that everyone is at the same one.

What differs between the terminals

These are general descriptions. Layouts, signs and procedures change, and the driver will confirm the meeting point with you before the day. The point is simple: tell us the terminal, and ask where to stand. Do not depend on the group finding the right door by luck.

How the driver tracks your flight

We ask for the flight number and the airline, and the driver follows the real landing time on the day. If the flight is early, the driver is there. If it is two hours late, the driver is there at the new time and the group does not wait in a car park. This is the main reason we ask for flight numbers rather than a clock time.

Tracking works from the flight, not from the schedule. For that reason, a group arriving on a connecting flight should send the final leg. The first leg matters only if there is a risk of a missed connection, and in that case tell us both.

If the flight is cancelled or rebooked, send the new details as soon as you have them. Changes follow the terms on your written quote, and we adjust the pickup.

Waiting time: how long, and who pays

A group pickup includes a waiting allowance that starts at the landing time, since a big group takes time to get through immigration, collect bags and find the exit. How much is included is written on your quote. If the allowance runs out, further waiting is charged at the rate on the quote, so the group leader should know the number.

Do not count on the same timing as a solo traveller. A single traveller with cabin bags can leave the aircraft and reach the hall in a short time. A group of 40 with 50 bags is closer to an hour, and an early-morning bank of arrivals at immigration can add more. We plan on the cautious side and say so on the quote.

The driver waits with the vehicle at the agreed point. If the group has split and some guests are much later than others, say so when you book, because that is a different plan from one big pickup.

Meeting signs and the group leader

Agree the sign before the day. A printed name board with the group or company name, or the group leader's name, is the norm. Tell the group in advance what the sign looks like and where it will be, and put the driver's name and mobile number in the group chat.

The group leader should be the first one through the doors. If the leader is not in the first half of the group, nominate a second person who is. The leader's job is to find the driver, confirm the vehicle and wave the others across. Our guide to big group arrival at DXB covers the leader's role in more detail.

Splitting a group across flights

When a group arrives in waves, there are three ways to run the pickups. The right one depends on the gap between flights and the size of each wave.

• One vehicle waits and takes everyone together. Works when the gap is short and the wait is acceptable to the first arrivals.
• Two vehicles, one per flight. Works when the flights are hours apart or at different terminals.
• One vehicle shuttles. A sedan or van takes the first wave to the hotel while the coach waits for the second. Works when the hotel is close.

Send us the flights and the headcount for each. The written quote shows the plan and the cost of each option.

A worked example, labelled as an example

A group of 52 arriving on two flights

Thirty-four people land at 14:15 in Terminal 3, and eighteen at 16:05 in Terminal 1. The first wave goes in a 50-seater, which has room to spare, and the second in a mini coach. Each driver tracks his flight. The first coach leaves about an hour after landing once bags are loaded. The mini coach waits for the second wave at the other terminal.

The quote shows both vehicles and both waiting allowances. The group leader at the first terminal and a nominated deputy at the second each carry the sign. Starting prices are on the price page, and the written quote confirms the exact price.

Practical points for the group leader

1. Send flight numbers and terminals for every wave.
2. Share the driver's name and mobile number with the group once we send it.
3. Agree where the group waits if the vehicle is not yet at the kerb.
4. Count the group and the bags before the coach leaves.
5. Check entry rules with your airline or the official ICP and GDRFA sites. We do not give visa advice.

More about the road after the airport: airport transfers, airport to hotel and the luggage guide. When you are ready, ask for a fixed written quote with your flights.

Related: Big group arrival at DXB · Meeting your driver at DXB · Dubai Airport to Downtown Dubai · Dubai airport transfer for groups · Get a quote

Keep reading

• Meeting your driver at DXB: Terminals 1, 2 and 3, the walk to arrivals, and exactly where your chauffeur will be waiting.
• DXB to Dubai Marina: Coaches, Sprinters and vans from DXB to Dubai Marina hotels for groups of 13 to 50: realistic timings, hotel drop points and luggage planned.
• Big group arrival at DXB: How to land 30 or more people at Dubai International and get them onto the right coach: flight lists, luggage, split arrivals and a group leader who is easy to find.
• DXB to Business Bay and DIFC: Vans, Sprinters and coaches for corporate groups from DXB to Business Bay and DIFC: meeting-day timings and the morning rush worked out.
• DXB to JBR: Vans, Sprinters and coaches from DXB to JBR beachfront hotels: approach roads, hotel access and evening traffic for groups of 13 to 50.
• DXB to Deira and Bur Dubai: Vans, Sprinters and coaches from DXB to hotels in Deira and Bur Dubai: short transfer, narrow streets, souk visits and coach drop points for groups of 13 to 50.