Passenger list template for group pick-ups.
You lead a group of 20 or 40 flying into Dubai. Everyone has a different flight and a different hotel, and you need one sheet that works for you and for the driver. This is the layout we would build, with the formulas already written.
The columns, one by one
Open a spreadsheet and type these headings across row 1. Six are core. Four more save a phone call on the day.
| Column | What goes in it | Why a driver or leader needs it |
|---|---|---|
| A. No. | 1, 2, 3 and so on | Lets you say "row 14" on the phone |
| B. Full name | As on the ticket | Headcount, and the name on the board if one person is met alone |
| C. Flight | Airline code and number, for example XX 101 | We track the flight, so a delay moves the pick-up |
| D. Terminal | 1, 2 or 3, as shown on the booking | Terminal 2 is 15 to 20 minutes by road from Terminals 1 and 3 |
| E. Scheduled arrival | Dubai local time, 24 hour clock | Sorting and the wave rule below |
| F. Checked bags | A number, 0 or more | Sizes the vehicle |
| G. Odd items | Golf bag, instrument, pram, box | Each takes the space of several cases |
| H. Hotel | Full name and area | Several Dubai hotels have near-identical names |
| I. Mobile | A number that works in the UAE | Reaches the person at immigration |
| J. Notes | Anyone who needs extra time or help | Tell us in advance, and we confirm what we can do in your written quote |
Paste-ready header row: No, Full name, Flight, Terminal, Scheduled arrival, Checked bags, Odd items, Hotel, Mobile, Notes.
Planning this trip? Tell us the date and group size for a fixed price.
Get a quoteA filled sample
Every name and flight here is made up. The rows are sorted by terminal, then by arrival time.
| No. | Full name | Flight | Terminal | Arrival | Bags | Odd items | Hotel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E. Tanaka | ZZ 303 | 2 | 11:55 | 1 | Hotel A, Marina | |
| 2 | A. Walker | XX 101 | 3 | 09:05 | 2 | Hotel A, Marina | |
| 3 | B. Nguyen | XX 101 | 3 | 09:05 | 1 | Golf bag | Hotel A, Marina |
| 4 | C. Fischer | XX 101 | 3 | 09:05 | 1 | Hotel A, Marina | |
| 5 | D. Okafor | YY 202 | 3 | 11:40 | 2 | Hotel A, Marina |
Read it the way a driver would. Row 1 lands at Terminal 2, a separate building across the airfield. Rows 2 to 4 land together at Terminal 3. Row 5 lands two hours and 35 minutes later at the same terminal. That is three pick-ups hiding in one list.
Formulas to paste in
These are ordinary spreadsheet functions and work in Excel and Google Sheets. They assume the data runs from row 2 to row 100 in the columns above.
- Headcount:
=COUNTA(B2:B100) - Total bags:
=SUM(F2:F100) - Odd items:
=COUNTA(G2:G100) - People on one flight:
=COUNTIF(C2:C100,"XX 101") - Bags on one flight:
=SUMIF(C2:C100,"XX 101",F2:F100) - New pick-up flag in row 3, with the list sorted by terminal then time:
=IF(OR(D3<>D2,E3-E2>TIME(2,0,0)),"New pick-up","Same pick-up")
Fill the flag formula down column K. It starts a new pick-up when the terminal changes or when the gap to the previous arrival is over two hours.
One list, one pick-up or several?
The two-hour rule comes from our big group arrival guide. If two flights land about 90 minutes apart or less, one coach can wait and the first arrivals sit somewhere comfortable. If the gap is over two hours, send the first group on and bring the second separately. The waiting time for a one-coach wait is written on the quote.
The terminal comes first in the sort for a reason. Terminal 2 is 15 to 20 minutes by road from Terminals 1 and 3, so it is usually its own pick-up. The DXB arrivals guide describes the buildings.
The simple cases are easy to read. One flight, one terminal and one hotel is one vehicle. The sample above needs three pick-ups, and we show them on the quote as three lines.
From the sheet to a vehicle
Take the headcount and the bag total and look up both. The larger answer wins. The figures are the seats and medium suitcases shown on each vehicle page, and the suitcase guide has the sums.
| Vehicle | Passenger seats | Medium suitcases |
|---|---|---|
| Mercedes V-Class | 7 | 6 |
| 13-seater van | 13 | 10 |
| Mercedes Sprinter | 16 | 12 |
| 30-seater mini coach | 22 to 30 | 20 |
| 50-seater coach | 50 | 50 |
Spreadsheet version, with headcount in M1 and bags in M2. For seats: =IF(M1<=7,"V-Class",IF(M1<=13,"13-seater",IF(M1<=16,"Sprinter",IF(M1<=30,"Mini coach",IF(M1<=50,"50-seater","Two vehicles"))))). For bags: =IF(M2<=6,"V-Class",IF(M2<=10,"13-seater",IF(M2<=12,"Sprinter",IF(M2<=20,"Mini coach",IF(M2<=50,"50-seater","Add a luggage vehicle"))))).
Odd items count for more than one case. Add two to the bag total for each one as a working rule, and tell us the size of the largest piece.
The leaving list
Copy the sheet and change three columns for the trip back. Swap "Flight" and "Terminal" for the departure flight and its terminal. Swap "Scheduled arrival" for the departure time. Add "Lobby time" for when the group gathers.
Work the lobby time back from the flight. The airline asks for around three hours before an international flight, and a group needs more. Our route pages suggest a pick-up around three and a half to four hours before departure. The night and early flights guide works an example through, and the hotel area drive times give the drive.
What to send us, and what to keep
The group leader keeps the full sheet. We need the leader name and mobile number, the flights with terminals, the headcount, the bag count with odd items, and the hotel. Send those through the booking page, with the sheet attached if it helps you.
Leave out passport numbers, dates of birth and payment details. None of it helps a driver find a group. Put the group name on the name board and not one person’s, as our airport transfer page advises. If a flight changes, send the new row with the change marked.
Larger groups can read the 31 to 50 people guide, and tour operators the hotel group transfers guide.
Keep reading
- 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.
- Dubai airport transfer for groups: Vans, Sprinters, mini coaches and 50-seat coaches for groups landing at DXB or DWC, with the luggage and the split flights planned.
- Booking a Dubai airport pick-up for a visitor: A checklist for an assistant or host company booking a Dubai airport pick-up for a visiting colleague: what to send, who gets the confirmation and what the guest needs.
- NYE: last year’s closures as a template: Dubai has not published its 31 December 2026 plan. This guide sets out what was published for 2025 and turns it into a checklist for a group.
- Conference airport shuttle plan: How to turn a flight list into airport shuttle waves for a conference of 100 to 500 delegates, with a luggage limit per coach and a worked example.
- Tour leader briefing sheet: A one-page template a tour leader can print for guests on a coach day in the UAE: meeting point, times, stops, what to carry and what to do if you are late.
Frequently asked.
Quick answers for this trip.
Do you give a downloadable sheet?
Not on this page. The columns, the sample and the formulas above are all you need to build one in a few minutes in Excel or Google Sheets.
Which details does the driver actually need?
The leader’s name and mobile number, the flight numbers, the terminal, the headcount and the bag count. The rest of the sheet is for your own use.
What if a passenger changes flight?
Update the row and send us the new flight number and terminal. We track every flight, so an early or late landing moves the pick-up.
How do I show that someone needs extra time?
Put it in the Notes column and tell us before the trip. We confirm in your written quote what we can plan for.
Should I list hand luggage?
No. Count what will be checked in. Keep medicines, passports and valuables in hand luggage.
When do I split one list into two pick-ups?
When flights are more than two hours apart, or when they use different terminals. Within about 90 minutes at one terminal, one coach can wait.
How many bags per vehicle?
V-Class 6, 13-seater van 10, Sprinter 12, mini coach 20, 50-seater coach 50. Check the 50-seater coach page for the largest.
Can you quote from the sheet?
Yes. Send the headcount, the bags, the flights and the hotel, and ask for a fixed written quote.
Sheet ready? Send us the flights.
Two questions now, a fixed price in your inbox shortly after.