Costa Coffee

AED 18–25 gets you a coffee here when Starbucks jams up.

This Costa Coffee sits airside in DXB Terminal T1 and works as the backup plan when the main chains have 20‑person queues. Drinks follow the standard Costa menu, so think flat whites, cappuccinos, iced lattes and the usual syrup hits, all in the AED 18–25 range. It’s a known move with frequent T1 commuters who would rather walk 2–3 minutes than risk cutting it close to boarding.

The setup is compact but functional: a modest seating area with small tables plus nearby charging points where you can plug in a laptop or phone. That matters on late‑night waves when T1 is busy with banks of flights leaving between 01:00 and 04:00. Lines move faster than at the bigger outlets, according to reviews, so a basic latte and a bottle of water can be in your hand in under 10 minutes even when it looks busy.

Food is the weak link. Travellers note that pastries and sandwiches often run out during night and early‑morning banking periods, especially around 02:00–05:00. If you want a croissant or muffin with your drink, grab it as soon as you see something that looks decent; don’t assume there will be restocks before your 03:30 departure. Several reviewers skip food entirely and hit this branch purely for a quick double espresso at the bar.

Watch out for lukewarm drinks and cramped seating. A few Google Maps reviews mention cappuccinos arriving barely hot and tables staying dirty longer than they should during peak times. If that happens, ask for a remake on the spot; staff are described as quick and generally fine with fixing it. One last tip: order and then slide to the charging points rather than waiting at the counter, so you’re both topping up your phone and watching the cups come out in the 3–5 minutes before boarding calls start.