Dubai's airport is not like most airports; it's got a wide array of cuisines to choose from, free showers to freshen up at, and a spa to help you rejuvenate before your next flight among many other perks.
So, it's not so surprising that Dubai International Airport (DXB) made it to a list detailing The 11 Best Airports for Layovers ... right?
On Wednesday, Time released a list based on experts' opinions for layover favorites, and turns out Dubai's airport is extremely loved by travelers.
You have the Sleep 'n Fly Pods in Terminal 3 if you're in need of a power nap, the free Zen Gardens if you're in desperate need for an escape, and an hour-long massage and facials at Timeless Spa, to name a few.
The airport has so much to offer that travelers often forget they're in flight-mode. Its reputation and high-rankings are proof that it has become an international hub for travelers around the world.
It's been the "busiest" airport for international travelers for years
In 2018, the airport saw 89.1 million passengers pass through its airport. It was ranked the "busiest airport for international travelers" ... a title it's held since 2014.
Dubai International Airport is poised to become the busiest airport in the world by the end of this decade, and it's definitely been heading in the right direction. In December, the airport marked its billionth traveler, a 9-year-old kid identified as Arjun.
Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid announced the achievement via Twitter at the time.
"Dubai International Airport received its one billionth passenger today, marking a new phase in its journey towards a bright future. One billion passengers have made DXB a part of their personal story and helped shape Dubai into a global hub," he wrote.
People (celebrities, too) occasionally spend more than 24 hours there
In January, American model and cook Chrissy Teigen revealed she once spent over a day - a full 28 hours, in fact - at an Emirates lounge in Dubai's airport and absolutely loved it.
The airport has been around since the 60s
Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the former ruler of Dubai, ordered the construction of the airport in 1959 and it was operational by 1960. The original airport had a sand runway.
Over decades, the airport has achieved enormous success and international traffic. A new development master plan for the airport was launched in 1997, which saw the opening of Terminal 2 by 1998. This was a massive step forward in opening up the airport to significantly increased international traffic. This was followed by the opening of Terminal 3 in 2008, which added capacity for some 47 million additional passengers, transforming the airport into the international hub it is today.
According to The National, it took the airport 51 years to mark its 500 millionth passenger, but only an additional seven years to get that number up to 1 billion.
Dubai's airport has consistently been ranked as one of the best in the world. In July 2016, Travel and Leisure ranked Dubai International Airport as No. 2 in the world. The airport was also named as the best in the Middle East by the Asian Freight, Logistics, and Supply Chain Awards that same year.