Below you can find the minimum time needed for connecting flights in Dubai International Airport. Between domestic flights: 20 min. Between domestic and international flights: 60 min. Between international flights: 60 min.

Whether 1 hour is enough for a connecting flight in Dubai depends heavily on several factors, primarily which airport and terminal you’re using.

Here’s a breakdown to help you decide:

If Flying with Emirates or flydubai (and partners) through Dubai International (DXB)

This is the most common scenario. Dubai International has three terminals, but Terminals 1 and 3 are connected and used by Emirates and its partners.

• Same Terminal Connection (e.g., Terminal 3 to Terminal 3): A 1-hour connection is very tight but possible if:

  • Your incoming flight is on time (even a 15-minute delay is risky).
  • You don’t have to clear security again (many connections don’t require immigration, but you often do reclear security).
  • Your gates are close together.
  • You are a able-bodied adult without young children and can move quickly.
  • Your baggage is checked through to your final destination.

• Terminal Change (e.g., Terminal 1 to Terminal 3): A 1-hour connection is extremely risky and generally not recommended. You may need to take a shuttle train or bus, which adds time.

Key Point for DXB: If your entire journey is booked on a single ticket with Emirates or its partners, the airline considers this a “minimum connection time” (MCT). For Emirates in T3, the MCT can be as low as 75 minutes for some flights, but 1 hour (60 minutes) is often below their official MCT. If the airline sold you the ticket, they