Hi,
My parents are flying to Greece with an inter-connecting flight from Dubai. They have about 4 hours in Dubai between flights and were wondering of the options to quickly explore the city. Is it possible to take a taxi from the airport to get a quick tour of the city and then return back to the airport ?? Are there any other options. Will it be hard to exit the airport and return within the time period ??

Any advice would be appreciated.

Cheers
Jeff

4/hrs is actually a pretty decent layover, even allowing for inbound flight being late.

You have to be at airport 2/hrs before ongoing flight to Greece for check-in/security. This leaves 2/hrs. If you figure it can take 30+/min to get from plane thru Immigration/Customs to the taxi stand... doesn't leave time for sightseeing.

DXB is a nice airport (not my favorite, but others love the place), with some restaurants and wonderful shopping; also has lounge chairs where you can catch some Zzzzzs.

If you had 8/hrs, I'd so... do something, but not with only 4/hrs.

I'd have to agree with Sandi! Traffic in Dubai is pretty dense. By the time they got anywhere worth going, theyd only have to return to the airport! Tell them to relax and enjoy Dubai's duty-free shopping, where prices are some of the best in the world!

Thanks for your replies it is appreciated, you guys have been very helpful.

Cheers
Jeff

I agree that 4 hours just isn't enough time to leave the airport. My kids have had to spend between 8-13 hours in the Dubai airport and never got bored (okay - the older one got a little bored, the younger one never did!). Great duty free shopping/looking!

There is also a lounge (Al Haramba, I think???) that you can buy a day pass to if they want to relax a little.

Hi, my name is holly.
im travelling to perth to visit a relative on my own, but on the way back to england i have a 19 hour stop over in Dubai!! what can i do for 19 hours, whats this about Al Haramba??

Help would be much appreciated..

If flying Emirates, find out whether they'll provide a hotel for this extended layover. If so, go for it.

If not, suggest you arrange a hotel for yourself to catch some Zzzzzs, and then get out to do some sightseeing. Any hotel, even the airport itself can arrange tours for you.

Check the Dubai Airport website for details.

Just remember that check-in for your homebound flight to London is minimum 2-2.5/hrs.

This suggestion is not directly relevant to your question, but you may find it of interest to read (online) the article in today's NY Times (Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011), entitled "Will All Flight Paths Lead to Dubai?" As for my own experience with the Dubai airport, I have passed through there four times recently and I doubt that a four-hour layover gives passengers anytime to do anything outside the airport. No one has mentioned that there are kiosks in the terminal where passengers may use the Internet free of charge. The people watching is the best in the world, so grab several dips of American ice cream and enjoy being off those airplanes for a while. ZZ

I see that I've been snookered again. I've replied to the original post of 2009. Sorry, Holly---and everybody else whose time I've taken. ZZ

Is the airport a 24hr airport? we land in Dubai on our way to Larnaca, Cyprus - it will be approx 4am and our flight to Cyprus is at 8.30am so we also have 4hrs to waste.
will there be anything open at this time?

Dubai is absolutely, positively, most definitely a 24/hr airport.

Busy, busy, busy! Crowded, crowded, crowded... at all hours.

Most shops/restaurants are open.
People sleeping wherever they can find a spot.
The new terminals have lots lovely lounge chairs, mostly near the gates, so if you can grab a few for a snooze, all the better.