What does the team need for an airport arrival?
Seven details cover almost every arrival:
- Airport and terminal. DXB, DWC, SHJ, AUH or RKT. At Dubai International add Terminal 1, 2 or 3. Emirates flights use Terminal 3. If you cannot tell which airport you are using, the DXB or DWC guide shows how to read your ticket.
- Flight number and airline. This is how we follow your flight’s status. If your ticket shows two numbers because of a codeshare, send both.
- Landing date and time in UAE time. Use the date you land, not the date you left home.
- Exact drop-off point. The full hotel name, the tower and apartment, or the villa number with its street and community.
- Passengers. Count adults, children and infants separately.
- Bags. Checked bags, cabin bags, and anything oversized such as a golf bag, pushchair, wheelchair or bike box.
- Your contact details. A name, a phone or WhatsApp number with the country code, and how you would like us to reply.
That list is also what the quote form on this site asks for, so you can use the form as your checklist.
What changes for a departure?
For a flight out, swap the landing time for two times: your flight’s departure time and the pickup time you want. The pickup address matters even more than on arrival, because the driver has to find a specific door with bags waiting behind it. Add the airport and terminal as well. Your airline publishes its own advice on how early to reach the airport, and the departure pickup planning guide shows how to turn that into a pickup time.
How do I get the terminal right?
Check your ticket first, then the airline app, then the official arrivals board for your flight. Dubai Airports’ own FAQ tells travellers to use their ticket, its website or their airline. Do not guess from the airline name, because the airport’s airline directory lists some carriers at more than one terminal.
The terminal matters more than most people expect. At Terminal 3 Dubai Airports runs a QR-code pickup service for licensed providers, and the meeting arrangement can differ from other terminals. We confirm the arrangement for your terminal before you fly, so an accurate terminal saves a correction later.
What else should I mention?
Add anything that would change the vehicle or the plan:
- Return trip. Give the return date, time, pickup address and flight number. See return and multi-stop trips.
- Extra stops. Name each stop in order.
- Child seats. Say how many and what ages. They are subject to availability and confirmed with your quote.
- Assistance. Mention wheelchair use, mobility needs or help with bags.
- A different passenger name. If someone else is travelling, give their name for the board and a phone number that will be answered.
What does a complete request look like?
Here is one written the way a busy traveller might send it on WhatsApp:
Arrival at Dubai International, Terminal 3. Flight [flight number], landing Wednesday 21 October at 02:10 UAE time. Three adults, four checked bags and one pushchair. Going to [full hotel name], [area]. Name for the board: [name]. Mobile [number with country code]. Need a return to the airport on Saturday, details to follow.
It is short, but nothing is missing. The team replies with a tailored quote, and once you accept it the team confirms the arrangements with you. Nothing is settled until then, so there is no harm in asking before your plans are final.
Which mistakes cause the most corrections?
Four come up again and again. The first is entering the departure date instead of the landing date on an overnight flight, which the late-night arrivals guide covers. The second is quoting times in your home time zone. The UAE keeps the same time all year, so check your itinerary shows Dubai’s local time. The third is naming an area instead of a building, and the tower and villa pickups guide fixes that. The fourth is forgetting a bag, a child seat or an oversized item until the day.
After you send the details, read the quote against your list. The guide to what your quote covers suggests what to ask if anything looks unclear.