Dubai International Airport

Terminals

Customs notes

Federal Customs Authority operates green / red channels at all three terminals. Passengers declaring zero use green; any restricted item (alcohol over free allowance, medications, currency ≥AED 60,000 / ~USD 16,000) must use red. Heavy X-ray and K-9 screening inbound.

Transit

Dubai is a fully sterile international transit hub. Most connections stay airside entirely and never clear UAE customs. Transit passengers can use hotel rooms inside T1 and T3 without visas. Terminal-to-terminal transfers require bus transit through landside — plan 90+ minutes.

Pre-arrival apps / forms

• UAE ICP Smart Services
• MoHAP Traveller Medicine Permit
• Dubai Customs e-services

Known quirks

• Every arrival passes through full X-ray baggage screening — not just random secondary
• Controlled medications (tramadol, codeine, certain psychotropics) require MoHAP pre-approval even for personal quantities
• Emirates concentrates in T3 Concourses A/B/C; T1 handles remaining international carriers; T2 is for Flydubai + regional

Sources

• dubaiairports.ae
• dubaicustoms.gov.ae

Other airports in United Arab Emirates

• AUH · Abu Dhabi