23 things to do at Dubai International Airport

From spas and lounges to restaurants, gaming rooms and city tours, these are the best things to do at Dubai International Airport.

In March, data reviewed by AllClear Travel Insurance dubbed Dubai International Airport as the world’s most luxurious, tapping the internal five-star hotel, gardens, pool, gym, cinema and restaurants as the key components of the claim. This year, DXB is on track to become the busiest airport in the world, with 15.1 million departing seats available in Q1 of 2025 according to data from aviation analytics company Cirium. Dubai International Airport will also soon be rolling out ‘passport-free’ AI-powered facial recognition technology that will confirm identities in place of passport control. The technology is planned to roll out soon across business and first-class passengers and is expected to extend to encompass passengers of all classes. However, first-time visitors to Dubai airports will have to complete an app-based pre-registration process before arrival. It’s all par for the course for this incredible Middle Eastern terminal, which boasts a variety of shopping, dining and entertainment options for those who pass through it. We’ve rounded up the best things to do at Dubai International Airport, so you can enjoy your next visit.

How many international airports are in Dubai?

While there are two airports in Dubai, Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport – also known as Dubai World Central (DWC), Dubai International Airport is the biggest and busiest of the pair and where you’ll most likely have international connections. Al Maktoum International Airport is typically used for the maintenance and storage of aircraft, smaller carriers, cargo and other similar purpose. However, it was recently announced that Al Maktoum International Airport will soon be undergoing an AUD$53.5 billion renovation and extension to accommodate 400 gates and five parallel runways for up to 260 million annual travellers. When complete, it will be the world’s largest airport – five times the size of the current Dubai International Airport – and the new home of flagship carrier Emirates, and low-cost airline Flydubai. Once opened, all operations will be transferred to the ‘airport of the future’, Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC). 

Things to do at Dubai International Airport 

Lounges

• Marhaba Lounge is open to anyone who pays the entry fees and provides buffet dining, full bar service, showers and business facilities. 
• Al Majlis is an upscale airport lounge with fast-track check-in, immigration and baggage clearance. It’s a VIP experience that requires advance booking. 
• Plaza Premium Lounge is accessible for a fee and offers casual fare, hot and cold drinks at Aerobar, showers a play area for kids and a family suite.
• Dubai International Airport is home to The Patio Arrival Lounge, the first of its kind in the region, dedicated to workers on the go looking for business facilities and meeting rooms. 
• If you’re travelling in business or first class, the best things to do at Dubai International Airport are visiting the Emirates, Ahlan Business or Ahlan First lounges, where you’ll find complimentary food, drinks, business facilities and essential amenities. Emirates even has a lounge for unaccompanied minors.

Spa, health & wellness

If you’re hoping to rest, relax and unwind before boarding your flight, indulging in a little self-care at a spa is one of the best things to do at Dubai International Airport. 

• Take a swim in the pool, soak in the jacuzzi or sweat it out in the gym, sauna or steam rooms at G-Force Health Club in terminal three, a part of the DXB Hotel, but open to all guests. 
• World of Wellness in terminal three offers holistic therapies such as massages, cryo, mani-pedis, O2 treatments, henna, sleep cabins, hair treatments, wave loungers and shower facilities. 
• XpressSpa offers massages, facials, manicures, pedicures and other treatments to travellers short on time. 
• BeRelax has several locations throughout the airport and offers massages, nail care, waxing, hair styling and facials. 
• Timeless Spa has 71 treatment rooms spread across Dubai International Airport and offers a variety of facial treatments, massages, skincare therapies, and spa packages. 

Entertainment

• Game Space is the first 24-hour airport gaming lounge in the UAE and visitors can choose to play their favourites on PlayStation or PC, solo or multi-player. 
• Whether you’re trying to tire out your little nippers before a flight or need them to work their wiggles off after a leg, the DXB Family Zone is the perfect place for them to burn some energy on the play equipment. 
• One of the best things to do at Dubai International Airport is to visit the world’s largest LEGO store. Located in terminal three, the 190-square-metre concept has a minifigure scanner that can create a miniature, LEGO version of yourself and an AR digibox that allows your digital animations to come to life. Check out the interactive installations, mosaic installation of the Dubai skyline (which took more than 130 hours of work and 33,000 bricks to create) and the six-foot-tall LEGO pilot. 
• From Adidas and Burberry to Dyson, Dubai International Airport has a variety of shops for fashion, electronics, health and beauty – and even a florist! Submit to a little duty-free retail therapy. 
• Reconnect with nature (however tenuous) at the indoor Zen Garden, a little green space with a fish pond and plants in terminal three. 
• If you have eight hours or more to kill on a long layover, why not join a Dubai city sightseeing tour? Get Your Guide has a three-hour private transit tour of the main sights with pick-up and drop-off at the airport, timed to your flight details, plus, many other similar tours.

Eat & drink

• Quick and easy fast food joints are peppered throughout Dubai International Airport, including Burger King, Costa, Starbucks, KFC, Five Guys, Subway and McDonalds.
• Those looking for an elevated restaurant can seek out Lebanese cuisine at Comptoir Libanais or Arabian fare at S34. You’ll find burrata and prosciutto at prosecco bar Bottega, luxe share plates at  The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck and fantastic airfield views at Sky Bar. 
• If you’re after a quick nip before your next leg, visit bars such as The Hangar, The Sports Shack, Hard Rock Cafe and O’Regan’s. 
• One of the best things to do at Dubai International Airport is to spoil yourself with dessert. Drop into the Nutella Cafe where you’ll find waffles and pancakes drizzled in the stuff, or L’Éclair de Génie, a posh pastry shop specialising in the French sweet, created by world-renowned pastry chef Christophe Adam. 
• Connoisseurs of wine and spirits should make a beeline for Le Clos, a curated boutique of bottles from renowned Châteaux, esteemed artisan wine growers and whiskies from Scotland’s best distilleries.

Can I shower at Dubai airport?
There are public showers located in terminal three at Dubai International Airport, between gates B13 and B19. Alternatively, visit BeRelax and make use of shower facilities at the spa. Travellers transiting through terminals one and three can also pay for access to Sleep ‘n Fly amenities, where you can access a room for a one-hour power nap or overnight sleep with shower facilities. 

What attractions are close to Dubai airport?
The closest major attractions to Dubai International Airport the Dubai Frame, Burj Khalifa, Al Majaz Waterfront, Zabeel Park, and Dubai Mall – the city’s biggest mall and where you’ll find the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, an ice rink and Kidzania. 

Which terminal is Dubai International Airport?
Dubai International Airport carries the code DXB and has three terminals of its own, each serving different lines and passenger groups. The Dubai metro runs between Terminals one and three, and there is a free 24-hour shuttle service between all of them.