Arriving at Dhaka Airport (DAC) – What to Expect

Everywhere I’d read said that arriving at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, aka Dhaka International Airport, aka DAC, said it would be a mad, wild, and chaotic experience.  So I was both a little disappointed and very relieved that it wasn’t.  We did, however, arrive during Eid al-Fitr, and even the entire city of Dhaka was quiet.  It made it a whole lot easier to document what it’s like.  So here’s my guide to arriving at Dhaka Airport, how to navigate it, what to expect here, and how to get out of the airport and into the city.

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I’ve detailed this guide to Dhaka Airport step by step so you know exactly what happens from the moment you land to the moment you walk out of the terminal. And don’t worry, I won’t abandon you there. I’ve also included details on onward travel from Dhaka Airport (DAC).  Whether you’re getting a visa on arrival, picking up a SIM card, figuring out if you need cash, or just need to know how to get into the city, this guide will walk you through it all so there are no surprises.

Before You Land at DAC (Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport)

There are a couple of things that you need to sort out before your plane even takes off towards Dhaka, as it will make your arrival significantly smoother.

1. First, if you don’t qualify for Bangladesh’s Visa on Arrival, then you need to get a visa sorted, as you won’t be allowed to board the plane.  I’ll cover the visa on arrival shortly.
2. Next, make sure you have some cash with you.  US Dollars, Euros, Canadian Dollars, or British Pounds are best.  This way, you have all the options open to you for leaving the airport.
3. It used to be that you’d be given an arrival or immigration card when you were on the plane, but now it’s paper, and now you’re more likely to just find them at the airport once you’ve arrived.
4. Always prebook at least one night in Bangladesh, and keep the hotel details easily accessible. Immigration officers WILL ask where you’re staying, having a quick answer speeds things up, and they will also, especially if you’re using the visa on arrival service, ask for evidence – i.e., they want a copy of your booking.
5. Finally, if you can, use the bathroom on the plane before landing. Once you arrive, queues can build quickly, and facilities in the arrivals area aren’t always where you want them when you need them, and neither are they usually like what you have at home.  There is a toilet right near the visa on arrival counter if you need it.

The DAC Arrival Process Step-by-Step

I promised step by step, and here we are.  Right from touchdown.

Getting off the plane at DAC

Once you land, you can expect a fairly standard disembarkation, usually via jet bridge, although sometimes by bus, depending on your flight. Our Indigo flight put us on a bus.  From here, you’ll follow the signs towards immigration. It’s not complicated, but it’s likely to be more hectic than home, especially if a few flights arrive at once. 

The entrance we used looked more like the back entrance to a restaurant (this was Gate 21), which was single file, and then all of a sudden, we were right next to the visa on arrival counter.  If you’re arriving via a jetway, then you’ll follow the stairs on the second floor, go down them (or use the escalator), and come down next to jetway number 7.

Immigration (queues, forms, Visa on Arrival)

This is where things slow down.  Immediately as you enter immigration, the VOA (visa on arrival) section is on your right.  Read my full guide to the VOA process here.  

If you’re not taking up the visa on arrival, then stop briefly at the free WiFi desk (it will be on your left as you turn around the corner).  The cell phone signal, if you’re using an eSIM, is very poor in the whole immigration area.

There are separate counters for Foreign passport holders and Bangladeshi nationals.  If you’ve used the visa on arrival service, then you’ll have already completed your process by the time you see these counters and their respective lines, and you will walk straight through (on the left-hand side).

Baggage claim at DAC

Once you’ve got through immigration, you’ll head to baggage claim. This is usually straightforward.  Whether you’ve used visa on arrival or had to line up for the regular immigration, your bags will likely be waiting for you by the time you get through.

Porters are available and are likely to offer help.  You should always agree on a price (and a currency) before accepting if you choose to use one.

Customs at DAC

After collecting your luggage, you’ll pass through customs. There’s a green channel, aka the “nothing to declare” channel, and a red channel, if you do have things to declare.  Bangladesh has some peculiar (to me) rules as to what you can and can’t bring in, and a long, interesting (and amusing) FAQ on customs.  It’s here.

There are bag scanners that you will need to pass your bags (both checked-in bags and cabin bags) through before you can progress through to the arrivals hall.

Visa on Arrival vs Pre-Arranged Visa (Quick Overview)

If you’re eligible for a visa on arrival, it’s a convenient option.  My guide to visa on arrival at Dhaka International Airport is here.

For Visa on Arrival in Bangladesh, you will need:

• Passport valid for at least 6 months
• Return or onward ticket
• Hotel booking – I recommend the Omni Residency in Banani
• Cash for the visa fee – prices are quoted in US Dollars, and it is US$50; you can pay in one of 17 major currencies or with a card.

Dhaka Airport Arrivals Hall – What It’s Really Like

After customs, you exit to the Dhaka Airport arrivals hall.  Again, it’s quite calm at this point; no one aside from official vendors (SIM Cards, Taxi Drivers, Car rentals, Banks, and currency exchange) is allowed in here.

Getting Money at the Airport

There are ATMs and exchange counters available in the arrivals area.  The exchanges here offered a good rate – very close to the rate on xe.com, so we changed US$100, which would give us enough for a ride into the city, and our first expenditures.  I’ve written more about currency, paying, and ATMs in Bangladesh here.

SIM Cards at Dhaka Airport

You’ll find several SIM card counters in the arrivals hall. Literally right opposite you as you exit from customs.  The SIM cards are a GREAT deal here, much better than eSIM options you can purchase beforehand.  This is one country where it makes a lot of sense to get a SIM locally, and you can opt for a physical SIM or an eSIM.  If you want connectivity straight away, this is the easiest option.  You can use a card to pay, certainly at one of the counters.  See my Bangladesh SIM card and eSIM guide for full comparisons.

Taxi and Car Rentals

You’ll find (and hear) taxi counters here too, as well as car rentals.  Although if you decide to walk outside and into the parking lot (walk out of the arrivals hall and turn RIGHT, not straight ahead), then you will find taxi drivers as you leave the building.

If you’ve booked an Uber or a Pathao (because those are the ride-sharing apps here in Bangladesh), then keep walking through the parking lot and over two small roads until you get to the meet and greet area, that’s where you’ll meet your driver.

I’d get used to using Uber or Pathao, despite the issues with reading numberplates, as you’ll use them a lot in getting around Dhaka. There’s more on this and other tips in my Dhaka Travel Guide here.

Transport Options from the Airport (Quick Overview)

You’ve got several options for getting into Dhaka. 

• Airport taxis
• Ride-hailing apps (if you have internet) – Uber and Pathao in Bangladesh
• Hotel transfers – read my guide about where to stay in Dhaka

It’s worth deciding in advance how you plan to travel, as the arrivals area can be confusing if you’re figuring it out on the spot.  We’d decided in advance that we would either take an Uber or catch a taxi, depending on the price.  At this point, we hadn’t enabled our Pathao app, as you need a Bangladeshi number for this, and we’d only just got one in the arrivals hall.  And so we checked the price of an Uber.  Surge pricing was in effect at the time, and the rate was looking at just over 800 BDT to our hotel – the Omni Residency in Banani. Considering we’d likely add a tip, we just opted to go with the taxi we found in the parking lot for 1000 BDT.  There are full details of transport options from Dhaka Airport to the various areas of the city in my DAC to Dhaka guide.

What Might Surprise You at DAC

I think we benefited from arriving in Dhaka during Eid Al-Fitr, as the airport didn’t seem busy at all.  Certainly not the chaos I was expecting, although it might be that we were somewhat immune following our recent trip to Pakistan.  Both arriving and departing from Karachi Airport was the busiest I’ve seen in a long time at airports, and the general feeling in Pakistan’s cities is a whole lot more chaotic than Dhaka so far.

Generally, though, compared to North America, Europe, and Australia, you’ll find

• The level of noise and activity is a lot higher
• How manual the process feels compared to major international hubs

There is both free WiFi and free power sockets, even in the area where you get your visa on arrival at Dhaka Airport. Read my guide to plugs, power and adapters for Bangladesh here.

Final Words on Arriving at Dhaka Airport

Arriving at Dhaka Airport isn’t polished, but it works. The lines for visa on arrival and for buying a SIM card, for instance, are more like suggestions than a reality.  But everyone is polite, and it’s a manageable and even interesting introduction to Bangladesh. With a bit of preparation, you’ll get through smoothly and be on your way into the city, hopefully without too much hassle.

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