Dubai is a popular connecting airport with all-night traffic, so you may find yourself arriving very late in the evening or departing very early in the morning.
In this case, a hotel near the terminal will certainly come in handy.
Overnight in the terminal - opening hours
All terminals are open 24/7.
You can go through security very long before your flight and spend the night in the transit area, where there are more seats and a better chance of finding a quiet seat.
The public areas of the terminals are cold and with only a minimum of acceptable places to sleep.
However, you must expect very heavy all-night traffic as well as constant boarding announcements.
Hotels near the airport
Prices for airport hotels within a 10-minute drive (all offer free transfers) range between 73 eur and 128 eur per night for 2 people.
- Hotels near Terminal 1: Aloft Dubai Airport, Grand Mercure Hotel and Residences, Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai
- Hotels near Terminal 2: Hampton By Hilton Dubai Airport - Nearest (no hotel offers free transfer)
- Hotels near Terminal 3: [translate=none]Premier Inn Dubai International Airport, Holiday Inn Express Dubai Airport[/translate]
Please note that none of the hotels are within walking distance of the terminal, although they are very close as the crow flies.
However, there is a busy fenced highway between the terminal and the hotels that cannot be crossed on foot.
All of the above hotels offer a free transfer to the terminals, which takes between 5 and 15 minutes. The hotels near terminals 1 and 3 always offer a transfer to terminals 1 and 3 only, while the hotels near terminal 2 will only offer a transfer to terminal 2.
The hotel buses have stops at the following locations:
- Terminal 1 - Arrivals level, approximately 30 metres to the right of the terminal exit in the first row (near the public transport bus stop)
- Terminal 2 - no hotel offers a free transfer to Terminal 2
- Terminal 3 - departure level, approx. 150 metres directly from the exit. Cross the road, go through the garage and early check-in building, through the signposted pedestrian tunnel and turn left
Hotels in the transit zone
While you won't find full-fledged hotels within the transit zone, you can stay in sleeping pods at several locations throughout the airport.
You need to make reservations in advance, for example through booking.com
You'll have a comfortable bed in a spacious private cubicle, always with a shared toilet and shower.
- Sleep 'n fly Sleep Lounge, Terminal 3, A-Gates
- sleep 'n fly Sleep Lounge, Terminal 3, B-Gates
- sleep 'n fly Sleep Lounge, Terminal 3, C-Gates
- sleep 'n fly Sleep Lounge, Terminal 1
Downtown Hotels
What are the best locations for accommodation in Downtown Dubai? Check out our tips in our Dubai guide.
