Dubai Airport

The Dubai International Airport is a 1959 construction by the ruler Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum and the first airport built in the United Arab Emirates. In 1959 the Dubai airport had one runway and was 2.5 miles south-east from the city center.

Today, the Dubai Airport is the fastest growing airport in the Middle East (and not too far behind the world) and was nominated the best airport in 2002 and 2003 by IATA. The Dubai Airport is in constant development and now has 2 terminals that cater to 100 airlines connecting over 140 destinations.

Terminal 1 is also known as Sheikh Rashid Terminal or Concourse 1. The terminal is 0.5 miles in length and connects to a check-in area by a 0.19 mile long underground tunnel containing automatic escalators. It has an advanced passenger clearance system that electronic scans the passenger's data. The terminal has 5 levels with the last 2 levels made into the airport hotel. It has 27 boarding gates, 47 aerobridges, and 36 lounges made up of first class, business class, airline, quite, and regular/economy class lounges for Terminal 1 travelers. Other amenities include business center, health club, exchanges, dining facilities, Internet services, medical center, post office, prayer room, and shopping at Dubai Duty Free.

Terminal 2 was built to ease the load on Terminal 1 and was opened to the public in May 1998. Terminal 2 specifically caters to regional, point-to-point, scheduled, chartered, and executive flights. Terminal 2 is spread over 12,000 square meters and has 22 check-in counters, 1,300 square meters of duty free shopping, banking facilities, ATM machines, and restaurants.

Terminal 3 is the second stage of the Dubai airport expansion that also includes Concourse 2 and Concourse 3, a mega cargo terminal, flower center, and an apron area. Terminal 3 and the two concourses will be exclusive for Emirates Airlines flights. They are expected to open in 2006.

Transportation to and from the airport is via taxi, bus, car rental, and limousine. Taxi service is provided by government run Dubai Transport Airport Taxi Service. Bus routes also pass along the major hotels and apartments found in Dubai. There are 15 car rental companies that are willing to provide airport transport services. Limousine services are provided through Siji Limousines and Dubai VIP Limousine Service.

The Dubai International Hotel located inside Terminal 1 is a 5 star hotel with 88 rooms, restaurants, G-Force health club, swimming pool, and business and conference facilities. The hotel charges on a per hour basis and a good for short stays. There are three more hotels located within half a mile of the Dubai airport. These are the Millennium Airport Hotel, Al Bustan Rotana, and Le Meridien Hotel. Many more hotels are 5-15 minutes away by car.

Dubai Flights – Dubai is one of the biggest international airport in Asia. which receives hundreds of flights every day. The ACI traffic statistics have ranked Dubai International Airport as one of the fastest growing airport in the world. When you fly to Dubai, make sure to have all of your relevant travel documents in order, as you will need these to gain access to the country. Passenger’s safety is always assured at Dubai Airport, as security is stringent.

There are many Airline Companies that fly to Dubai, United Arab emirates, and you can get some great deals if you speak to your travel company well in advance. Airline companies such as UAE's own airline Emirates offer some great deals including cheap flight fare, depending on the season you are travelling in, and on how far in advance you book your flights.