5hr Connection in DXB
 

Sorry to ask a question I am sure has been answered many times before...

In November I’m flying with EK to Sydney from LGW - my connection is 5hr 20 mins. I was having a brain wave that I could quickly hop on the metro, into the city to quickly view the Burj Khalifa and head straight back and on to my flight.

Would you recommend that I would have enough time to do it?

Many Thanks,

londonba2014

Probably not worth it

By the time you get anywhere it'll be time to head back. By the time you clear security after arriving and getting out of the airport, I expect you'd have no more than an 30-60 minutes. You can take the metro to the Dubai Mall easily enough, but it's a 15 minute walk from there to get to the area around the fountains where you can see the Burj really well.

What time do you arrive? Do you have egate at Dubai airport?

It takes 15 mins in a cab so it's easily do able it just depends on what time etc. Are you in first or business? Again would make immigration shorter if you have egate of biz of first and can come through the business side immigration when you head back to the airport.

Even first or biz fast track can be hit or miss at peak times. The ONLY way to pretty much guarantee no wait at immigration is with E-gate or shell out AED160 for MARAHABA Meet & greet (they use the VIP/Diplomatic que

Hi All,

Thanks for getting back to me on this one! I arrive into DXB at 20:35, flying Economy but am seated in the front section; I don't have a E Gate Card but do hold a British passport with a chip in, and so understand from that I am able to use them?

Thanks,

londonba2014

Upon your first visit to Dubai, you will need to register for the smart gates - the queue could be relatively long or short and can be equivalent to the "Fast Track" section. You can't use the same system as when you depart, so really I would go for the shortest queue (gates or desks) that you see.

FWIW, on a 2035 arrival into DXB, you will be at immigration at 2045-2100 and out either in 5 minutes or 20 minutes. You have plenty of time to go around Dubai (taxi or Uber from the airport), have dinner and drinks and be back for a 0300 flight. I do this quite often with similar timings (although I have e-gate) - and I don't run in airports :D Dinner reservations should be for 2130 or so if that's your thing.

I assume you are on EK414 departing 0215. I would aim to be back at the airport at around 0030, which is perfectly possible, considering it would take you 30 minutes max from anywhere (reasonable!) in Dubai at that time, given normal traffic conditions.

Hi eternaltransit,

Cool - thanks for that! I am actually visiting the UAE in June, but am straight on a transfer to RAK and so won't be visiting DXB itself, I will check the queue there for the e-gate reservation and try and get that sorted, so I can head through quicker in November!

Yep, I am on EK414!

Thanks,

londonba2014

UAE in June :D

Lovely time to visit this year :D

keep in mind, ramadan 6th of june until 5th of july

Well.. Not a problem at night (myself will flee the UAE/muslim world just on time on very early 6th June haha)

Oops; just see that the question you answered was about going to RAK. Well. Poor guy... During Ramadan even worse..

Ha Ha - I know, not the best time to visit - but was a very good deal!!

Unless it's a Thursday. Then all bets are off as far as how long it could take to/from the airport. I landed a few weeks ago @ 22:30 on a Thurs and it took me 2 HOURS to get home (we live in the Marina). This was due to two separate traffic accidents which sounds like a 1 out of a thousand chance but on any given Thurs your lucky if you don't get held up by at least one accident

If you are traveling during Ramadan then downtown and most places will be packed at iftar. I'd probably stay in the airport.