14 Interesting Dubai Airport Facts Everyone Should Know

Some of the Interesting Dubai Airport facts are discussed in this article. Dubai International Airport situated in the Al Garhoud district of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is one of the leading and busiest airports in the world in terms of international passenger traffic. It is spread over 7200 acres of land with Terminal 3 being the second largest building in the world in terms of floor space.

Dubai International Airport is the hub of Emirates Airlines. It connects to 260 destinations throughout the world and has become a major aviation hub. It has 2 runways and the terminals are more than 4 km long. It functions as a gateway to Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. It is owned by the Dubai Airport Company and has the highest average passenger rate per flight.

Interesting Facts About Dubai International Airport

1. It Has The World’s Quickest Wifi

Dubai International Airport has the fastest wifi service in the world. Its WOW-Fi has a speed of up to 100 megabits per second (Mbps). This allows the passengers to enjoy super fast internet service inside the airport as they wait for their flights.

Passengers can enjoy this super fast internet connection because of the multiple access points set all throughout the airport.

There are about 6000 access points and this eliminates the possibility of slowed connection. This is because, with multiple access points, the device-seeking connection would never be out of the range of the wifi. This wifi network provides passengers a free and unlimited session to upload and download emails, stay connected on social media, etc all while in the airport. This is one of the Dubai Airport facts everyone should know to utilize this free wifi service.

2. It Has The Biggest Duty-Free Store

Dubai international airport’s Duty-Free store has been in operation since 1983 and is one of the most popular airport shopping destinations. The stores in Dubai Duty-Free are open 24 hours, every day of the week. This is very convenient for passengers as they could shop no matter what time of the day their flight is.

The Dubai Duty-Free complex spans over 38000 meters. Every terminal has its own duty free but terminal 3 is known to have the most number of stores. The stores within the airport work on a no-tax basis. This makes the goods available at cheaper prices than what you would normally find outside. The prices of these products are available on the website of Dubai Duty-Free.

3. The Airport’s Size Is Equivalent To 297 Football Fields

The Dubai International Airport is huge in terms of area. It spans across 7200 acres and is as big as 297 football fields. When the three terminals and the concourses are taken into consideration, the surface area of the airport is estimated to be more than 280 square kilometers.

4. It Has An Indoor Garden

The Dubai International Airport has a whole indoor garden inside it known as the Zen Gardens. This garden is situated at Terminal 3, the biggest terminal in the airport. The garden with lush green plants and trees and a fish pond is the perfect place for nature lovers. There are benches and seating inside the garden where people waiting for their flights could sit.

The Zen Garden is probably one of the only airports in the world with a garden inside it. It is located between gates B7 and B27 in Terminal 3. The Zen gardens would be a paradise for people who appreciate nature.

5. Dubai International Airport Has Smart Gates

Another interesting Dubai Airport fact is smart gates. The smart gates are a facility that allows guests arriving and departing at Terminal 3 to avoid the long wait for the passport control process using the enhanced Smart Gates. With the Smart Gates, the passport control process gets done in a matter of seconds. It is a contactless process with no additional fees. To be able to use this facility the passengers have to be registered with the Smart Gates.

If you are a registered user you can go through the process by just looking at the green light visible at the Smart Gate. There is no need to scan any documents. It should be noted that the face must be clearly visible while looking at the green light. The guests are required to remove anything that might be covering their faces like masks, hats, and glasses.

It is also advised to keep the passport and boarding pass ready in case they are needed. The Smart Gates facility can be used by UAE nationals, UAE residents, and GCC nationals. Visa-on-Arrival guests with biometric passports can also use the facility. All guests are required to be registered with the Smart Gates to use it. But it is likely that you have been registered with the Smart Gates facility if you have arrived at Dubai International Airport.

Registration happens when you reach the immigration checkpoint. People with big strollers, families with children, people of Determination, guests who are under the age of 15, and guests under 1.2 meters in height are advised to not use the Smart Gates. This self-service facility makes the long-line formalities of the airport easier and faster.

6. It Has A Solar Powered Unit

In 2019, Dubai International Airport took a step to go green by installing solar panels to reduce carbon emissions. 15000 solar panels were installed in Terminal 2 making it the largest solar energy system installed in an airport in the nearby region. It has a capacity of 5 megawatts and can produce more than 7.8 million kilowatt hours of energy every year and is expected to help save AED 3.3 million on electricity bills per annum.

The system can help to cut down 3243 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Etihad Energy Service Company (ESCO), a fully owned subsidiary of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, installed the solar energy system. 

7. There Are Hotels Inside The Airport

Dubai International Airport provides convenient stays for passengers with hotels within the airport. It provides guests with facilities to sleep and rest with facilities ranging from sleep lounges to five-star hotels. There are hotels that provide five-star facilities like spas, bars, swimming pools, conference halls, etc in hotels like the Dubai International Hotel in Terminal 3. 

8. Has A Concourse For A380 Airplanes

Dubai International Airport has a whole concourse dedicated to the huge A380 Airbus. Concourse A is dedicated to the arrival and departure of Emirates Airlines A380 aircraft. Concourse A is a part of Terminal 3 and was opened on 2nd January 2013 and spans across 528000 square kilometers.

9. The Airport Has A Children’s Area

Families traveling with children often have a difficult time at the airport. With hours of waiting for flights, it might be difficult for parents to manage their children and keep them occupied. To make this tedious task easier, the airport has introduced a family area. Also known as the kid’s zone or children’s area, it offers a space for children to spend their time without falling into boredom. The family area has children’s play equipment, climbing areas, screens showing television programs, baby changing rooms, and game zones. It is located at Concourse B’s Zen Garden at Terminal 3 between Gate B7 and B8.

10. Snooze Cubes To Sleep

Snooze Cube is another Dubai airport facts that allow passengers to get some sleep before they catch their next flight. They are makeshift rooms separated by stopgap walls. There are about a dozen rooms in a row and are smaller than hotel rooms. They are just big enough for a twin bed and luggage.

The room has wallpapers on all sides with pictures of clouds and other pictures depicting the beauty of nature. It has touch screen computers with internet access for entertainment and charging outlets to charge your electronics. The staff would also wake you up in time for your flight if asked. 

11. Has Been Voted The Best Airport In The Middle East 

The Dubai International Airport has won the title of ‘The Best Airport in the Middle East multiple times. Many organizations like Business Traveller Middle East, Gulf Business Awards, Frontier Awards, World Travel Awards, etc have awarded the airport with his title. 

12. The Airport Has A G-force Club For Workout

Dubai International Airport offers guests a facility where they can relax and get a quick workout before their next flight. The G-force Health Club is located at Terminal 3 and provides users with a facility where they can work out and take a shower. Toiletries, soaps, shampoos, and hairdryers are provided by the G-force Health Club. A maximum of two hours stay is permitted and can be admitted no more than 3 hours before the departure time of your flight. It is open 24 hours a day, all days a week. 

13. Dubai International Airport Is Over 60 Years Old

The airport was opened on 30th September 1960. In its initial years, it just had a small terminal building with sand runways. Back in those days, it could only accommodate aircraft with a capacity of 21 to 32 passengers. It was used mainly as a refueling station but by 1970 it got renovated.

14. Largest Hub In The Middle East

Dubai International Airport handles connections between 260 destinations worldwide. The facilities that it provides and the connections that it offers make it the largest hub in the Middle East.

Dubai International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world in terms of passenger traffic. The airport serves around 90 million passengers every year surpassing many of the popular airports that held previous records like Malaysia. The airport spans more than 7200 acres and has 3 terminals. The airport is so big that traveling from one terminal to another would take at least 30 minutes. It also offers vast cargo services with the airport capable of handling more than 3 million tonnes of cargo every year. 

Out of the 90 million passengers per year, 63 percent are transiting through to other destinations. The airport connects to 260 destinations throughout the world increasing passenger traffic even more. It is the hub of many airlines like Emirates and is the fastest-growing aviation hub. 

The main interesting Dubai airport facts is the economic impact of Dubai Internation Airport on Dubai’s economy is also huge. Travel and tourism are one of the most important contributors to the economy of Dubai. Without the Dubai International Airport, this will significantly reduce leading to a decline in the economy. The income generated by the airport’s Duty-Free is also a whopping number.

The Dubai Duty-Free, open 24 hours a day all days of the week is one of the most popular airport shopping destinations. It also employs more than 90000 people directly or indirectly. All of these factors would lead to it contributing around US $26.7 billion to the economy. This represents 27 percent of Dubai’s economy. 

The airport offers guests the best facilities including entertainment, sleep lounges, places for relaxation like the Zen Garden, smart and contactless facilities like the Smart Gates, and high security for your luggage. These facilities that the airport provides are almost unchallenged, even by the airports of the West.

Frequently Asked Questions