Dubai Airport Terminal 1 (T1) has the longest airline list at DXB, with carriers from British Airways, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines to IndiGo and Riyadh Air, according to Dubai Airports. Emirates uses Terminal 3. The Red Line Metro serves T1, and its Car Park A is listed at AED 125 for a day.
We read the Dubai Airports pages on airlines, Metro, parking and transfers on 31 October 2026. Each shows a “last updated” label with no date, so the rates below are the ones listed that day, and where the pages say nothing, we say so.
Airlines at Terminals 1, 2 and 3
The Dubai Airports airline list groups carriers by terminal, and Terminal 1 has the longest list by far. The table shows a selection from each terminal.
| Terminal | Airlines named on the page |
|---|---|
| Terminal 1 | British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic, Qatar Airways, Saudia, Riyadh Air, Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, IndiGo, Air India, Pakistan International Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Korean Air |
| Terminal 2 | Air India Express, SalamAir, Iraqi Airways, Nepal Airlines, Wizz Air, flydubai |
| Terminal 3 | Emirates, Qantas, Air Canada, United Airlines, flydubai |
Two things catch people out. flydubai appears on both the Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 lists, so the ticket decides. Gulf Air, Flynas, Jazeera Airways and Eurowings carry an asterisk on the Terminal 1 list, which the text we read does not explain. Confirm the terminal on your booking for those.
Getting to Terminal 1 by Metro
Dubai Airports says on its Metro page that the Red Line connects Terminals 1 and 3. No station name or walking time from platform to check-in is given. Passes are sold at ticket offices and vending machines in both terminals.
The listed Metro hours matter if you have an early or late flight.
- Monday to Thursday and Saturday: 5am to midnight
- Friday: 5am to 1am the next day
- Sunday: 8am to midnight
Sunday is the odd one out, with service starting three hours later. Hours may extend on public holidays, the page adds. Fares and zones are in our Dubai Metro fare guide.
Terminal 1 parking rates
The Dubai Airports car parking page lists two car parks at Terminal 1: Car Park A (Premium), a two to three minute walk from the terminal, and Car Park B (Economy), a seven to nine minute walk.
| Stay | Car Park A (AED) | Car Park B (AED) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 minutes | 5 | not listed |
| 15 minutes | 15 | not listed |
| 30 minutes | 30 | not listed |
| 1 hour | not listed | 25 |
| 2 hours | 40 (up to 2 hours) | 30 |
| 3 hours | 55 | 35 |
| 4 hours | 65 | 45 |
| 1 day | 125 | 85 |
| Each extra day | 100 | 75 |
On the listed rates, three hours in Car Park B costs AED 20 less than in Car Park A, and a full day costs AED 40 less. The price of the saving is the longer walk with bags, so short pick-ups suit Car Park A, while Car Park B suits a long stay.
No free period is mentioned. Payment is by scanning the QR code on the ticket or at an automatic pay station, and Salik is accepted when the fee is unpaid and the balance is enough. Spaces can be reserved through the Mawgif booking site linked from the page. Our Salik charges guide explains how the tag balance works.
Connecting from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 or 3
The Dubai Airports transfers page covers gates, not terminals: Terminal 1’s D Gates are reached by a short airport train. For other terminal transfers it tells passengers to ask the airline or a Guest Experience Ambassador.
Travellers on one ticket describe the same advice. In a June 2026 r/dubai thread, someone landing at T1 with a flydubai connection from T2 got this reply.
“If it’s under one booking, they will transfer you internally. No need for visa.”
– r/dubai, June 2026 (6 upvotes)
Another commenter in the thread called it short-sighted that there is no public transport link between T2 and T1 or T3. That is a forum view, and the official pages we read do not list a T1 to T2 shuttle. On separate tickets, ask the airline before you land.
What the official pages do not say
Drop-off rules, taxi fares and a Metro station name for Terminal 1 are all missing from the pages we read. We have left those out rather than quote unofficial figures, so check them with Dubai Airports or the RTA before you travel.
Questions about Dubai Airport Terminal 1
Is Emirates at Terminal 1?
No. The Dubai Airports airline list puts Emirates in Terminal 3, alongside Qantas, Air Canada and United Airlines. Terminal 1 has the longest list, including British Airways and Qatar Airways.
Does Dubai Airport Terminal 1 have a Metro link?
Yes. Dubai Airports says the Red Line connects Terminals 1 and 3. Hours run from 5am to midnight, except Friday to 1am and Sunday from 8am.
How much is parking at Dubai Airport Terminal 1?
Dubai Airports lists Car Park A at AED 125 a day and Car Park B at AED 85 a day. Short stays in Car Park A start at AED 5 for five minutes.
How do I get from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2?
The official pages we read give no T1 to T2 route. On one booking, travellers on r/dubai say the airline transfers passengers, so ask the airline or an airport ambassador.
