# A 1 to 3-day stopover in Dubai: what to do and how to plan it A 24-hour stopover in Dubai is enough for Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall and the fountain, 11 km from the airport; two days add Old Dubai and a desert safari, three days a beach day or Abu Dhabi. Visa-free entry depends on nationality, your passport must be valid for six months, and Emirates provides a free hotel, subject to conditions, on long connections. Source : https://sabaro-travel.com/en/guides/escale-dubai/ On an Emirates flight between Europe and Asia or the Indian Ocean, Dubai is where you change planes. **A 24-hour stopover** is enough to see Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall and the Dubai Fountain, 11 km from the airport; **two days** let you add Old Dubai and a desert safari; **three days**, a beach day or a trip to Abu Dhabi. Dubai is a few hours' flight from Europe's main cities, direct or with one stop, and jet lag is mild: Dubai is 4 hours ahead of London in winter and 3 hours ahead in summer. ## What to sort out before you go **Passport and visa.** A stopover with a trip out of the airport follows the same rules as a holiday. Your passport must be valid for at least six months on entry and in good condition. The accepted document and the visa depend on nationality: (Depends on the traveller's country: see the table on https://sabaro-travel.com/en/guides/escale-dubai/) Our guide to [visas and entry to Dubai](/en/guides/visa-dubai/) covers special cases, such as emergency passports, which are refused for entry for some nationalities. **Staying airside.** If you do not leave the international transit area, no entry formalities apply. Depending on nationality, a temporary passport that is not accepted for entry into the UAE may be enough for a simple connection. **Luggage.** Depending on your ticket, your suitcase may be checked through to your final destination: ask at check-in, and pack a cabin bag for the night in Dubai. Transit baggage is also scanned: UAE rules on medicines and drugs apply even if you never leave the airport. **Emirates' Dubai Connect.** When the schedule forces a long connection and no better one is available, Emirates provides, subject to conditions, a hotel room, meals, coach transfers and, if needed, a 48-hour visa. You book it on the Emirates website, under Manage your booking, at least 12 hours before your flight to Dubai, and the Dubai Connect desk is in the arrivals hall. Conditions depend on your fare and booking date, so check them for your ticket. ## From the airport Dubai International Airport, DXB, is right in the city. The metro Red Line runs from Terminals 1 and 3 directly to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station; by taxi, Downtown is about 11 km and 30 minutes away. Our guide to [getting around Dubai](/en/guides/se-deplacer-dubai/) gives fares, the Nol card and options from the city's other airport, Al Maktoum (DWC), which is further out. ## What to do, depending on your stopover ### A few hours between flights For a daytime connection, allow for arrival formalities and the journey, then get back to the airport within the check-in deadline set by your airline. With half a day to spare, a return metro ride to Downtown is enough to see Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall. For a shorter connection, it is better to stay at the airport. ### One day: Downtown Dubai's tourist board suggests a one-day stopover itinerary centred on [Downtown](/en/dubai/downtown/), where everything is within walking distance: 1. **Burj Khalifa**, at 828 m the world's tallest building, and its At the Top observation deck on levels 124 and 125. Book a time slot ahead, in the morning for the light or at sunset. 2. **Dubai Mall**, with more than 1,200 shops and the Dubai Aquarium, for the hottest hours. 3. **Souk Al Bahar**, a modern souk on the lake with views of the tower. 4. **The Dubai Fountain**, free to watch from around the lake: shows run in the early afternoon, then every 30 minutes from 6 pm to 11 pm, local time. 5. **Dinner with a view**, at CÉ LA VI on the 54th floor of Address Sky View, for example, facing Burj Khalifa. The official itinerary also lists the Museum of the Future: it is closed, with reopening announced for the first quarter of 2027. ### Two days: Downtown and Old Dubai, then the desert - **In the morning**, [Old Dubai](/en/dubai/old-dubai/): the Al Fahidi historic district, the Al Shindagha Museum on the history of the Creek, then an abra, the public boat, across the water for AED 1 (UAE dirham) to the spice and gold souks. - **In the afternoon**, an evening safari in the [desert](/en/dubai/desert/), with hotel pick-up, a 4x4 drive over the dunes and dinner at a camp, from about €60 per person. Choose a reputable operator: serious quad and buggy accidents are reported. - **Alternatively**, a dinner cruise on the Creek aboard a dhow, the traditional wooden boat, from about €45 per person. ### Three days: the sea or Abu Dhabi Spend the third day as you like: - **on the beach**, in Jumeirah or on Palm Jumeirah, at a beach hotel or on a public beach such as Kite Beach; see our guide to [Dubai's beaches](/en/guides/plages-dubai/); - **in Abu Dhabi**, about 130 km away: Etihad Rail trains reach the capital in about 64 minutes from Al Yalayis station, then a taxi takes you to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque or Louvre Abu Dhabi. Organised trips from Dubai, covering the Grand Mosque and the Qasr Al Watan presidential palace, start at around €75 per person; - **in Downtown**, for At the Top's quieter hours or a hotel spa before an overnight flight. Beyond three days, a stopover becomes a holiday: our [Dubai](/en/dubai/) page covers the whole destination. ## Where to stay for a stopover The best area depends on your plans: - **Downtown**, to do everything on foot and reach the airport in 30 minutes: [Palace Downtown](/en/hotels/palace-downtown/), on the fountain lake, or [The Lana](/en/hotels/the-lana-dubai/), on Business Bay's marina, about 20 minutes from the airport; - **Old Dubai**, less than 10 km from the airport, in the historic heart of the city: [Al Seef Heritage Hotel](/en/hotels/al-seef-heritage-hotel/) on the Creek, or [XVA Art Hotel](/en/hotels/xva-art-hotel/) in the Al Fahidi district; - **the beach**, for a restful stop on the way back from Asia: for example [Jumeirah Beach Hotel](/en/hotels/jumeirah-beach-hotel/), about 15 km from the airport. Prices shown on each hotel page exclude any nightly tourism tax. ## When to stop over From October to April, Dubai can be enjoyed outdoors too, with highs of 24 to 31 °C from November to March. From June to September, it is above 40 °C by day and 30 °C at night: a stopover is still possible, but it is spent indoors, by the pool and in the evening. Our guide to [Dubai in summer](/en/guides/chaleur-ete-dubai/) covers the precautions. During Ramadan, expected from 8 February to 8 or 9 March 2027, opening hours are shorter; see our guide to [Ramadan in Dubai](/en/guides/ramadan-dubai/). ## Delays, cancellations and the regional situation Sudden airspace closures remain possible in the region in 2026, and some foreign ministries advise against non-essential travel to the UAE. Your own government's advice appears in the regional situation box on this page, and our guide to [Dubai and the regional situation](/en/guides/situation-regionale-dubai/) has the latest. One point matters for passenger rights: EU Regulation 261/2004, which provides assistance and compensation for delays and cancellations, does not apply to a flight from Dubai to the European Union operated by a non-EU airline such as Emirates. It does apply to departures from EU airports. On a package holiday, the organiser remains responsible for assisting the traveller. A longer stopover with a night in a hotel also gives you a margin if your first flight is late. ## Frequently asked questions ### Do I need a visa for a stopover in Dubai? To leave the airport, the rules are the same as for a holiday: the visa depends on nationality, and the entry requirements table on this page gives the rule for your country; your passport must be valid for six months. If you stay in the transit area, no entry formalities apply. ### What can I do in Dubai in 24 hours? Downtown: Burj Khalifa and its At the Top deck, Dubai Mall, Souk Al Bahar and the Dubai Fountain in the evening, 11 km from the airport. This is the stopover itinerary suggested by Dubai's tourist board. ### Does Emirates offer a free hotel on a Dubai stopover? Subject to conditions, through Dubai Connect: when the schedule forces a long connection with no better option, Emirates provides a hotel, meals, transfers and a visa if needed. Book it at least 12 hours before your flight to Dubai. ### How long does it take to get out of Dubai airport? Allow for arrival formalities, then about 30 minutes by taxi to Downtown, or the metro from Terminals 1 and 3. For your onward flight, get back within the check-in deadline set by your airline. ### Can I visit Abu Dhabi on a Dubai stopover? Yes, with at least one full day: Abu Dhabi is about 130 km away, around 64 minutes by train from Al Yalayis station, or on an organised trip from Dubai.