When you change from one flight to another at Dubai International, your bags will either be tagged through to your next flight, or you may need to collect your bags from the carousel and check them in again in your departure terminal. You don't need to collect your bags when you arrive.

Whether you have to collect your luggage during a layover at Dubai International (DXB) depends on how your flights were booked. If you booked your journey as a single ticket (a "through-booking") with a carrier like Emirates or its partners, your luggage will be tagged to your final destination and will be automatically transferred between aircraft. In this case, you do not need to collect your bags, even if your layover is 12 or 15 hours long. However, if you "self-connected" by booking two separate tickets on different airlines, you must pass through immigration, collect your luggage from the arrivals carousel, and then check it back in for your second flight at the departures hall. This requires a visa for the UAE depending on your nationality. If your layover is longer than 24 hours, even on a single ticket, most airlines will require you to collect your bags for security reasons. For those on a standard long-haul connection who want to leave the airport for a quick tour, your bags stay in the airport's automated system until your next flight.