---
type: Airport Family Guide
title: "Dubai International Airport (DXB) with Kids: Every Family Facility, Mapped"
description: "DXB's Family Zone and baby care rooms are concentrated in Terminal 3's B Gates — Terminals 1 and 2 publish almost nothing. Verified August 2026."
resource: https://www.velivolotravel.com/family-airport-guide/dubai-international-airport-dxb
tags: [airport, family, travel, DXB, middle-east]
timestamp: 2026-08-03
---

# Dubai International Airport (DXB) with Kids: Every Family Facility, Mapped

**Short answer:** Dubai International concentrates its family facilities in Terminal 3's B Gates: one free Family Zone, baby care rooms and family toilets, all past security. Dubai Airports' current listing gives no gate number for the Family Zone — the quoted 'Gates B7–B8' comes only from a 2015 press release. Terminals 1 and 2 publish almost nothing comparable.

**Velivolo family score:** 5/10 (Fair)

Dubai International is enormous, but its documented family facilities are concentrated almost entirely in one place: Terminal 3's B Gates, where the free Family Zone, a LEGO play experience, a 24/7 gaming lounge, baby care rooms and family toilets all sit within a short walk of each other. Terminals 1 and 2 publish essentially nothing comparable. The Family Zone's exact gate — B7–B8 — comes only from a 2015 press release; DXB's current passenger-facing listing gives no gate number at all, so treat that figure as historical rather than confirmed.

## Quick facts

- DXB's Family Zone sits in Terminal 3's B Gates, but Dubai Airports' live listing gives no gate number — 'Gates B7–B8' traces only to a 2015 press release.
- Emirates' complimentary strollers in Terminal 3 are only available once you're through security — there is no landside pickup on Emirates' own page.
- The Assisted Travel Lounge, DXB's only documented sensory-type space, is in Terminal 2, not Terminal 3 where the Family Zone sits.
- Terminal 3's B and C Gates connect on foot, but the A Gates need a short ride on the airport train.
- Dubai Airports publishes no family security lane; the only special-assistance route is for People of Determination.

## Facility matrix

| Facility | Status | Terminals | Security side | Hours | Age limit | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children's play area | available | T3 | post-security | Not published | — | free |
| Nursing room / lactation pod | available | T3 | post-security | Not published | — | free |
| Family / companion care restroom | available | T3 | post-security | Not published | — | free |
| Baby changing table | available | T3 | post-security | Terminal hours | — | free |
| Sensory room | available | T2 | post-security | Not published | — | free |
| Family security lane | unconfirmed | T2 (autism route only) | pre-security | — | — | free |
| Stroller rental | available | T3 (Emirates), T1 and T2 (marhaba, on request) | post-security | Not published | — | free |
| Dedicated family lounge | unconfirmed | — | unknown | — | — | unknown |

## Play areas

| Name | Location | Security side | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DXB Family Zone | Terminal 3 · Concourse B (B Gates) · Departures · Between Gates B7 and B8 (per the Dubai Airports press release only) | post-security | Creative play equipment, television screens showing children's programming, a climbing area and an interactive games zone, plus baby changing rooms. The floor is shaped like Arabian Desert sand dunes for children to walk over, and there are plenty of benches for the rest of the family. | https://media.dubaiairports.ae/new-family-area-opened-at-dxbs-terminal-3/ |
| Game Space Gaming Lounge | Terminal 3 · B Gates · Departures | post-security | The region's first airport gaming lounge, with leading PlayStation and PC titles for solo and multiplayer play, open to beginners and enthusiasts alike. Dubai Airports tags it both 'Lounges' and 'Family'. | https://dubaiairports.ae/experiences/shops/details/game-space-gaming-lounge |
| LEGO® store experience | Terminal 3 · B Gates · Departures | post-security | Scan your hand and watch a digital LEGO character come to life, plus a LEGO pilot figure and a mosaic wall of the Dubai skyline to photograph. | https://dubaiairports.ae/experiences/shops/details/lego |

## Nursing rooms

| Name | Location | Security side | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baby care rooms | Terminal 3 · Departures | post-security | Ask a Guest Experience Ambassador to direct you to the nearest one — that is Dubai Airports' own instruction. | https://dubaiairports.ae/experiences/shops/details/baby-care-rooms |
| Nursery areas in the refurbished Concourse B washrooms | Terminal 3 · Concourse B · Departures / transfer area | post-security | No access procedure published. | https://media.dubaiairports.ae/new-family-area-opened-at-dxbs-terminal-3/ |

## Family restrooms

| Name | Location | Security side | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family toilets, Concourse B | Terminal 3 · Concourse B · Departures / transfer area | post-security |  | https://media.dubaiairports.ae/new-family-area-opened-at-dxbs-terminal-3/ |

## Sensory rooms

| Name | Location | Security side | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assisted Travel Lounge | Terminal 2 · Main Terminal · Departures | post-security | Decompression zone for guests with autism; Noise-reducing seating; Calming lighting; Tactile materials; Wheelchair-friendly areas; Dedicated space for unaccompanied minors | https://dubaiairports.ae/experiences/shops/details/assisted-travel-lounge |
| Point of Care (PoC) capsules for autism support, Terminal 3 | Terminal 3 | unknown | Autism support capsules (contents not described) | https://www.marhabaservices.com/ae/english/guides/travelling-with-babies-and-children.html |

## Security with children

- **Family lane:** Dubai Airports publishes no family security lane at DXB. What it does publish is a People of Determination route: dedicated passport control counters staffed by GDRFA officers in arrivals and departures at all terminals, and dedicated customs counters. Separately, marhaba describes a sunflower-marked autism-friendly route in Terminal 2 with its own check-in, passport control and security screening lanes, accessed by wearing a discreet sunflower lanyard.
- **Strollers and car seats:** Dubai Airports publishes no stroller rule. marhaba's guidance is that a baby can usually stay in a carrier walking through the scanners, and that a stroller must be emptied and folded to go on the X-ray belt.
- **Formula, milk and baby food:** Dubai Airports states the rule directly: liquids go in a clear resealable bag inside hand baggage and containers must not exceed 100 ml, but 'exemptions apply for medication, baby milk/foods, and special dietary requirements for use during the trip'. Its security tips page separately gives the outer limit as a maximum of 10 containers totalling one litre.
- **Shoes:** Dubai Airports publishes no age threshold for shoes. Its checkpoint guidance says belts with metal buckles, boots and heeled shoes must be removed and placed in a tray.
- **PreCheck:** There is no trusted-traveller programme published for DXB. Dubai Airports advises arriving at least three hours ahead in adverse weather.
- Source: https://www.dubaiairports.ae/information/security-customs

## Getting between terminals

DXB has three terminals. Terminal 3 holds the A, B and C Gates and is used primarily by Emirates, flydubai, United and Air Canada; Terminal 1 is the D Gates and serves numerous international carriers; Terminal 2 is the F Gates for regional and international flights. A 24/7 buggy shuttle service gives Persons with Disabilities priority movement across terminals and concourses. Dubai Airports publishes no journey times, no train frequency and no fare information for the internal trains.
- Source: https://www.dubaiairports.ae/information/transfers

## Layover plans

### 1–2 hours, Terminal 3, B or C Gates — Everything you need is close by

1. Head for the B Gates, where the Family Zone, Game Space gaming lounge and the LEGO play experience all sit together.
2. Ask a Guest Experience Ambassador to point you to the nearest baby care room — Dubai Airports doesn't publish a gate number for one.
3. Grab something at Giraffe in the A Gates if you have time to make the walk or train ride, since it's the one restaurant DXB itself calls family-friendly.

### 1–2 hours, Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 — Plan for less — these terminals publish almost nothing

1. Don't expect a play area or baby care room to be signposted — Dubai Airports documents almost no family facilities for Terminal 1 or Terminal 2.
2. In Terminal 2, ask about the autism-friendly sunflower lane if your family would benefit from it — it has its own check-in, passport control and security lanes.
3. For anything specific, ask a Guest Experience Ambassador directly rather than relying on signage.

### 3–5 hours, connecting via Terminal 3 — Worth the walk to the B Gates if you're not already there

1. If your gate is in the A Gates, take the short train ride over to the B Gates for the Family Zone and Game Space.
2. Pick up an Emirates complimentary stroller once you're through security — there's a stroller park back at the boarding gate when you're done with it.
3. Use the family toilets and baby care rooms in Concourse B before heading to your next gate.

## Your rights

- **Lactation:** The United Arab Emirates has no published national law in this file requiring lactation rooms at airports. What DXB provides is its own baby care rooms in Terminal 3, an operator amenity with no published count or exact location.
- **Changing tables:** No national mandate is documented. Dubai Airports built baby changing facilities into the 2015 Concourse B refurbishment in Terminal 3, described as spacious nursery areas beside the family toilets, but nothing is published for Terminals 1 or 2.
- **Liquids:** Dubai Airports states the rule directly: liquids go in a clear resealable bag inside hand baggage in containers no larger than 100 ml, with exemptions for medication, baby milk and baby food needed during the trip. A separate security tips page adds an outer limit of 10 containers totalling one litre. Declare the formula and baby food at the checkpoint rather than leaving it buried in your bag.
- **Boarding:** Priority boarding for families is set by your airline, not by Dubai Airports.
- **If it is missing:** Dubai Airports' own instruction for baby care rooms is to ask a Guest Experience Ambassador to direct you to the nearest one — the same applies for any family facility you can't find signposted.
- Source: https://www.dubaiairports.ae/information/security-customs

## FAQ

### Where exactly is the DXB Family Zone?

In Terminal 3's B Gates, but the precise gate number is less certain than many sites claim. Dubai Airports' current, live passenger-facing listing gives the location only as 'Terminal 3, B Gates - Departures' and publishes no gate number at all. The commonly repeated detail — that it sits between Gates B7 and B8 — comes solely from a Dubai Airports media release dated 28 July 2015, not from the airport's current listing. Both are Dubai Airports' own words, so neither is wrong exactly, but the gate-specific figure is a decade old and may not still be accurate. The safest approach is to look for the Family Zone in the general B Gates area rather than heading straight for B7–B8 and expecting it to be exactly there.

### Does Dubai Airport have a play area for kids?

Yes, one confirmed area: the DXB Family Zone, a free space in Terminal 3's B Gates with creative play equipment, screens showing children's programming, a climbing area, an interactive games zone and a dune-shaped floor kids can walk over, plus baby changing rooms built in. Nearby in the same B Gates area are two more child-friendly spots Dubai Airports documents: the Game Space Gaming Lounge, open 24/7 with PlayStation and PC titles, and a LEGO store experience with an interactive hand-scan feature. All three sit past security in Terminal 3 only — Dubai Airports publishes no equivalent play space in Terminal 1 or Terminal 2, so a family connecting through either of those terminals has nothing comparable documented.

### Are there baby care rooms at Dubai Airport?

Yes, in Terminal 3, but Dubai Airports is unusually vague about exactly where. Its baby care rooms page confirms they exist in Terminal 3 departures and instructs guests to ask a Guest Experience Ambassador to find the closest one — no count, no concourse breakdown and no gate references are published. Separately, the 2015 Concourse B refurbishment added nursery areas inside redesigned washrooms alongside family toilets, which is the one specific location DXB has ever put in writing. Nothing is published for Terminal 1 or Terminal 2. If your baby care room needs are specific — a particular concourse, a particular gate — your most reliable option is to ask staff on arrival rather than trying to plan the exact spot in advance.

### Can I get a free stroller at Dubai Airport?

It depends on your airline and terminal. Emirates provides complimentary strollers in Terminal 3 departures and for connections, but only once you're through security — Emirates' own page states plainly, 'You'll find our strollers once you've passed through security,' with no landside pickup point published anywhere on their site. A stroller park is available back at the boarding gate once you're done with it. In Terminals 1 and 2, the claim that marhaba staff can supply a stroller on request comes from marhaba's own guidance rather than a Dubai Airports page, so confirm directly with marhaba or your airline before relying on it if you're flying through those terminals.

### Does DXB have a family security lane?

No dedicated family lane is published anywhere on Dubai Airports' own site. What does exist is a People of Determination route — dedicated passport control counters staffed by GDRFA officers, and dedicated customs counters, available in arrivals and departures at all terminals. Separately, and only in Terminal 2, marhaba describes a sunflower-marked autism-friendly route with its own check-in, passport control and security screening lanes, accessed by wearing a discreet sunflower lanyard. Neither of these is a general family fast-track — the People of Determination route is aimed at passengers with disabilities, and the sunflower route is specifically for neurodivergent travellers. A family with young children but no additional needs has no dedicated lane documented at DXB.

### Is there a sensory room or quiet space at Dubai Airport?

There's one documented space, and it's not in the terminal most connecting families use. The Assisted Travel Lounge in Terminal 2 departures has a decompression zone for guests with autism, noise-reducing seating, calming lighting and tactile materials. The catch is location: Terminal 3 is where Emirates, flydubai, United and Air Canada operate from, and Dubai Airports publishes no general procedure for moving between terminals — guests are told to consult their airline or a Guest Experience Ambassador. In practice, a family connecting through Terminal 3 cannot casually reach the Terminal 2 lounge, so treat this as useful only if your own itinerary specifically routes you through Terminal 2.

### How do I get between concourses at DXB with kids and a stroller?

Within Terminal 3, the B Gates and C Gates connect on foot, but the A Gates require a short ride on the airport train — worth knowing since the Family Zone, Game Space and LEGO experience are all in the B Gates, a different concourse from Giraffe restaurant in the A Gates. Terminal 1's D Gates are reached from the main terminal by train as well. Dubai Airports publishes no journey times, no train frequency and no confirmation of whether the trains are stroller-accessible, so build in extra time rather than assuming a quick transfer. A 24/7 buggy shuttle gives priority movement to Persons with Disabilities across terminals and concourses, which may be worth asking about if mobility is a factor for your family.

### What restaurants at DXB are good for young kids?

Dubai Airports names exactly one restaurant as family-friendly in its own words: Giraffe, in Terminal 3's A Gates, described as having an international menu suited to families. It's worth noting this sits in a different concourse from the Family Zone, Game Space and LEGO experience, which are all in the B Gates — so a family aiming for both the play space and this restaurant needs to plan the walk or train ride between concourses. Dubai Airports separately mentions food and drink outlets beside the Family Zone itself, in the B Gates' Zen Garden — Starbucks, Ben's Cookies, Sweet Factory, Red Carpet and Pauls were named in a 2015 release, useful for one parent to queue while the other watches the kids, though the outlet list may have changed since.

## Related airports

- [Doha (DOH)](https://www.velivolotravel.com/okf/airports/doha-hamad-international-airport-doh.md) — The direct Gulf-hub comparison — DOH documents five play areas across its whole terminal, against DXB's one.
- [Singapore (SIN)](https://www.velivolotravel.com/okf/airports/singapore-changi-airport-sin.md) — Another major connecting hub, but with ten play areas and 71 Baby Care Rooms — a useful benchmark for what a well-documented hub looks like.
- [Hong Kong (HKG)](https://www.velivolotravel.com/okf/airports/hong-kong-international-airport-hkg.md) — Worth checking if your long-haul routing has you weighing a Dubai connection against one through Hong Kong instead.

## Sources

- [Dubai Airports — DXB Family Zone at B Gates (2026)](https://dubaiairports.ae/experiences/shops/details/dxb-family-zone) — The Family Zone's current listing, with no gate number published
- [Dubai Airports Media Centre — New family area opened at DXB's Terminal 3 (28 July 2015) (2015)](https://media.dubaiairports.ae/new-family-area-opened-at-dxbs-terminal-3/) — The B7–B8 gate detail, family toilets and nursery areas
- [Dubai Airports — Baby care rooms (2026)](https://dubaiairports.ae/experiences/shops/details/baby-care-rooms) — Terminal 3 baby care rooms, no count published
- [Dubai Airports — Assisted Travel Lounge (2026)](https://dubaiairports.ae/experiences/shops/details/assisted-travel-lounge) — The Terminal 2 decompression zone for autism
- [Dubai Airports — Security and customs (2026)](https://www.dubaiairports.ae/information/security-customs) — Liquids rule and the People of Determination route
- [Dubai Airports — Transfers (2026)](https://www.dubaiairports.ae/information/transfers) — Terminal layout and inter-concourse transport
- [Emirates — Families at the airport (2026)](https://www.emirates.com/us/english/family/at-the-airport/) — Complimentary stroller availability, post-security only
- [marhaba (dnata) — Travelling with babies and children (2026)](https://www.marhabaservices.com/ae/english/guides/travelling-with-babies-and-children.html) — The Terminal 2 autism-friendly sunflower route and stroller screening guidance

**Last checked:** 2026-08-03