Operations desk · 24/7Quote within 15 minutesLicensed UAE company · DubaiClient loginCourier login
153 cities · 306 routes · both directions

An on board courier from the UAE to anywhere, and back

We are based in Dubai and fly out of every airport in the United Arab Emirates. Every lane runs in both directions: outbound from the Emirates, and inbound with collection in the destination city and delivery anywhere in the UAE. Pick a route below for flight times, the carriers that serve the sector and what it is normally used for.

Why book here

From every UAE airport to anywhere a scheduled airline flies

Outbound from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, inbound from the world. Every lane runs in both directions, and every lane has a page with the honest transit time.

571 airports, 90 countries

The next departure with cabin allowance decides the runway, not habit.

Same day on most sectors

The Gulf, India, Europe and East Africa are same-day lanes from the UAE; the page says which are not.

One fixed price

Seat, courier, transfers and handling. No surprises on the invoice.

Firm quote in 15 minutes

Tell us what has to fly. We answer with a flight and a price.

Five short questions. A dispatcher replies with a named departure, the delivery hour and one fixed price, day and night.

  • One named courier from collection to signature
  • Customs cleared in person on arrival
  • Licensed UAE company, proper VAT invoices

Can it fly today, and through where

The same tool our dispatchers use, open to anybody and free. It is loaded with this lane already. Change either end, add a stopover or a preferred airline, and it works out the connection, the transit and the door to door clock, with the real departures underneath. Put it on your own site if it is useful to you.

220countries and territories on the desk
500+airports a courier can be booked into
15 minfrom your message to a firm price
24/7the operations centre is awake

Three departure boards, one desk: Emirates, flydubai and Etihad for An anywhere and back

A hand-carry is only as fast as the next departure. The desk watches three boards at once and books the one that lands first, then holds the one that leaves next.

Emirates

The night bank out of Terminal 3

Between one and four in the morning Emirates pushes back a wave of widebodies from Terminal 3 that reach Europe before the first meeting and Asia by the afternoon. For An anywhere and back that wave is the reason a courier confirmed at eight in the evening is still delivering the next day.

Widebody only, non-stop to 140 plus cities
flydubai

The short sectors, several times a day

From Terminal 2 flydubai runs the one to five hour sectors: the Caucasus, Central Asia, East Africa, the Balkans, the subcontinent. Where a widebody leaves once a day, flydubai often leaves three times, which turns a missed slot into a ninety minute delay rather than a lost day.

Frequency is the fallback
Etihad

Abu Dhabi as the second runway

Ninety minutes down the E11, Etihad leaves from Zayed International with its own bank of departures and, for the United States, immigration cleared before boarding. When the Dubai departure for An anywhere and back is gone, the desk looks at Abu Dhabi before it looks at tomorrow.

US preclearance at AUH

The desk holds no allegiance to a carrier. The booking goes to whichever board puts a courier at An anywhere and back first, at a fare the quote can carry.

An anywhere and back: every hour it waits is an hour it is not moving.

Five questions, one fixed price, a named flight. The desk answers within 15 minutes, day and night, and you decide.

One person beats a parcel network to An anywhere and back

The freight chain is not slow because aircraft are slow, it is slow because a consignment waits at every handover. A courier removes the queues, not the kilometres.

OnBoard CourierOne person. One seat. One signature.
CollectedIn the cabin Delivered in An anywhere and back, same day or next morning
Conventional air freightA parcel in a system, every handover is a queue.
Drop-offAcceptance cut-off Build-upFlight Break-downCustoms Delivered, day 3 to 5
0h24h48h72h96h+

When a seat beats a parcel, the full comparison →

Where the couriers the desk places fly

Flight times are approximate non-stop block times from Dubai. Departures are also available from Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Al Ain.

Searching a specific pair? Every published lane has its own page with timings and an indicative price band, for example Dubai → London, Abu Dhabi → Mumbai, Sharjah → Karachi or Doha → London. All 270 routes →

Europe · 44 cities · 88 routes

CityAirport · flight timeOutboundReturn leg
LondonLHR · approx. 7h 30mDubai → London →London → Dubai →
FrankfurtFRA · approx. 6h 30mDubai → Frankfurt →Frankfurt → Dubai →
MunichMUC · approx. 6h 20mDubai → Munich →Munich → Dubai →
ParisCDG · approx. 7h 00mDubai → Paris →Paris → Dubai →
ZurichZRH · approx. 6h 30mDubai → Zurich →Zurich → Dubai →
AmsterdamAMS · approx. 7h 00mDubai → Amsterdam →Amsterdam → Dubai →
MilanMXP · approx. 6h 30mDubai → Milan →Milan → Dubai →
MadridMAD · approx. 7h 40mDubai → Madrid →Madrid → Dubai →
ViennaVIE · approx. 5h 50mDubai → Vienna →Vienna → Dubai →
IstanbulIST · approx. 4h 30mDubai → Istanbul →Istanbul → Dubai →
MoscowDME · approx. 5h 00mDubai → Moscow →Moscow → Dubai →
DublinDUB · approx. 8h 00mDubai → Dublin →Dublin → Dubai →
ToulouseTLS · approx. 7h 15mDubai → Toulouse →Toulouse → Dubai →
BarcelonaBCN · approx. 7h 20mDubai → Barcelona →Barcelona → Dubai →
RomeFCO · approx. 6h 20mDubai → Rome →Rome → Dubai →
BrusselsBRU · approx. 7h 00mDubai → Brussels →Brussels → Dubai →
GenevaGVA · approx. 6h 45mDubai → Geneva →Geneva → Dubai →
ManchesterMAN · approx. 7h 45mDubai → Manchester →Manchester → Dubai →
CopenhagenCPH · approx. 6h 50mDubai → Copenhagen →Copenhagen → Dubai →
StockholmARN · approx. 6h 50mDubai → Stockholm →Stockholm → Dubai →
WarsawWAW · approx. 5h 40mDubai → Warsaw →Warsaw → Dubai →
PraguePRG · approx. 6h 00mDubai → Prague →Prague → Dubai →
BerlinBER · approx. 6h 15mDubai → Berlin →Berlin → Dubai →
HamburgHAM · approx. 6h 30mDubai → Hamburg →Hamburg → Dubai →
DüsseldorfDUS · approx. 6h 25mDubai → Düsseldorf →Düsseldorf → Dubai →
StuttgartSTR · approx. 6h 20mDubai → Stuttgart →Stuttgart → Dubai →
CologneCGN · approx. 6h 25mDubai → Cologne →Cologne → Dubai →
BaselBSL · approx. 6h 30mDubai → Basel →Basel → Dubai →
LyonLYS · approx. 6h 50mDubai → Lyon →Lyon → Dubai →
NiceNCE · approx. 6h 45mDubai → Nice →Nice → Dubai →
NaplesNAP · approx. 6h 40mDubai → Naples →Naples → Dubai →
TurinTRN · approx. 6h 35mDubai → Turin →Turin → Dubai →
BolognaBLQ · approx. 6h 30mDubai → Bologna →Bologna → Dubai →
LisbonLIS · approx. 8h 00mDubai → Lisbon →Lisbon → Dubai →
PortoOPO · approx. 8h 15mDubai → Porto →Porto → Dubai →
ValenciaVLC · approx. 7h 30mDubai → Valencia →Valencia → Dubai →
BilbaoBIO · approx. 7h 40mDubai → Bilbao →Bilbao → Dubai →
AthensATH · approx. 4h 45mDubai → Athens →Athens → Dubai →
BudapestBUD · approx. 5h 30mDubai → Budapest →Budapest → Dubai →
BucharestOTP · approx. 5h 15mDubai → Bucharest →Bucharest → Dubai →
HelsinkiHEL · approx. 6h 40mDubai → Helsinki →Helsinki → Dubai →
OsloOSL · approx. 7h 00mDubai → Oslo →Oslo → Dubai →
EindhovenEIN · approx. 6h 45mDubai → Eindhoven →Eindhoven → Dubai →
BirminghamBHX · approx. 7h 30mDubai → Birmingham →Birmingham → Dubai →

Americas · 35 cities · 70 routes

CityAirport · flight timeOutboundReturn leg
New YorkJFK · approx. 14h 00mDubai → New York →New York → Dubai →
ChicagoORD · approx. 14h 30mDubai → Chicago →Chicago → Dubai →
HoustonIAH · approx. 16h 00mDubai → Houston →Houston → Dubai →
Los AngelesLAX · approx. 16h 15mDubai → Los Angeles →Los Angeles → Dubai →
MiamiMIA · approx. 15h 30mDubai → Miami →Miami → Dubai →
TorontoYYZ · approx. 14h 00mDubai → Toronto →Toronto → Dubai →
São PauloGRU · approx. 15h 00mDubai → São Paulo →São Paulo → Dubai →
BostonBOS · approx. 13h 15mDubai → Boston →Boston → Dubai →
WashingtonIAD · approx. 14h 00mDubai → Washington →Washington → Dubai →
AtlantaATL · approx. 14h 45mDubai → Atlanta →Atlanta → Dubai →
DallasDFW · approx. 15h 30mDubai → Dallas →Dallas → Dubai →
San FranciscoSFO · approx. 16h 00mDubai → San Francisco →San Francisco → Dubai →
SeattleSEA · approx. 14h 45mDubai → Seattle →Seattle → Dubai →
DetroitDTW · approx. 14h 15mDubai → Detroit →Detroit → Dubai →
PhiladelphiaPHL · approx. 13h 45mDubai → Philadelphia →Philadelphia → Dubai →
DenverDEN · approx. 15h 30mDubai → Denver →Denver → Dubai →
PhoenixPHX · approx. 16h 15mDubai → Phoenix →Phoenix → Dubai →
Mexico CityMEX · approx. 17h 00mDubai → Mexico City →Mexico City → Dubai →
BogotáBOG · approx. 17h 30mDubai → Bogotá →Bogotá → Dubai →
SantiagoSCL · approx. 19h 00mDubai → Santiago →Santiago → Dubai →
Panama CityPTY · approx. 17h 00mDubai → Panama City →Panama City → Dubai →
MontréalYUL · approx. 13h 30mDubai → Montréal →Montréal → Dubai →
VancouverYVR · approx. 16h 00mDubai → Vancouver →Vancouver → Dubai →
CalgaryYYC · approx. 15h 30mDubai → Calgary →Calgary → Dubai →
MonterreyMTY · approx. 18h 00mDubai → Monterrey →Monterrey → Dubai →
GuadalajaraGDL · approx. 18h 30mDubai → Guadalajara →Guadalajara → Dubai →
LimaLIM · approx. 20h 00mDubai → Lima →Lima → Dubai →
Buenos AiresEZE · approx. 18h 00mDubai → Buenos Aires →Buenos Aires → Dubai →
Rio de JaneiroGIG · approx. 15h 30mDubai → Rio de Janeiro →Rio de Janeiro → Dubai →
AustinAUS · approx. 16h 30mDubai → Austin →Austin → Dubai →
San DiegoSAN · approx. 17h 00mDubai → San Diego →San Diego → Dubai →
MinneapolisMSP · approx. 15h 30mDubai → Minneapolis →Minneapolis → Dubai →
CharlotteCLT · approx. 15h 00mDubai → Charlotte →Charlotte → Dubai →
PortlandPDX · approx. 16h 30mDubai → Portland →Portland → Dubai →
Salt Lake CitySLC · approx. 16h 00mDubai → Salt Lake City →Salt Lake City → Dubai →

Asia-Pacific · 34 cities · 68 routes

CityAirport · flight timeOutboundReturn leg
SingaporeSIN · approx. 7h 20mDubai → Singapore →Singapore → Dubai →
Hong KongHKG · approx. 7h 50mDubai → Hong Kong →Hong Kong → Dubai →
ShanghaiPVG · approx. 8h 00mDubai → Shanghai →Shanghai → Dubai →
TokyoHND · approx. 9h 30mDubai → Tokyo →Tokyo → Dubai →
SeoulICN · approx. 9h 00mDubai → Seoul →Seoul → Dubai →
BangkokBKK · approx. 6h 30mDubai → Bangkok →Bangkok → Dubai →
Kuala LumpurKUL · approx. 7h 20mDubai → Kuala Lumpur →Kuala Lumpur → Dubai →
ManilaMNL · approx. 8h 30mDubai → Manila →Manila → Dubai →
SydneySYD · approx. 14h 00mDubai → Sydney →Sydney → Dubai →
TaipeiTPE · approx. 9h 30mDubai → Taipei →Taipei → Dubai →
OsakaKIX · approx. 9h 30mDubai → Osaka →Osaka → Dubai →
Ho Chi Minh CitySGN · approx. 7h 00mDubai → Ho Chi Minh City →Ho Chi Minh City → Dubai →
JakartaCGK · approx. 7h 40mDubai → Jakarta →Jakarta → Dubai →
PenangPEN · approx. 7h 40mDubai → Penang →Penang → Dubai →
MelbourneMEL · approx. 13h 30mDubai → Melbourne →Melbourne → Dubai →
AucklandAKL · approx. 17h 00mDubai → Auckland →Auckland → Dubai →
BeijingPEK · approx. 8h 30mDubai → Beijing →Beijing → Dubai →
GuangzhouCAN · approx. 7h 45mDubai → Guangzhou →Guangzhou → Dubai →
ShenzhenSZX · approx. 7h 50mDubai → Shenzhen →Shenzhen → Dubai →
ChengduCTU · approx. 7h 30mDubai → Chengdu →Chengdu → Dubai →
HangzhouHGH · approx. 8h 15mDubai → Hangzhou →Hangzhou → Dubai →
XiamenXMN · approx. 8h 30mDubai → Xiamen →Xiamen → Dubai →
QingdaoTAO · approx. 8h 30mDubai → Qingdao →Qingdao → Dubai →
HanoiHAN · approx. 7h 00mDubai → Hanoi →Hanoi → Dubai →
Da NangDAD · approx. 7h 30mDubai → Da Nang →Da Nang → Dubai →
Phnom PenhPNH · approx. 7h 30mDubai → Phnom Penh →Phnom Penh → Dubai →
CebuCEB · approx. 9h 00mDubai → Cebu →Cebu → Dubai →
SurabayaSUB · approx. 8h 30mDubai → Surabaya →Surabaya → Dubai →
BrisbaneBNE · approx. 14h 00mDubai → Brisbane →Brisbane → Dubai →
PerthPER · approx. 11h 00mDubai → Perth →Perth → Dubai →
BusanPUS · approx. 9h 00mDubai → Busan →Busan → Dubai →
NagoyaNGO · approx. 9h 45mDubai → Nagoya →Nagoya → Dubai →
FukuokaFUK · approx. 10h 00mDubai → Fukuoka →Fukuoka → Dubai →
KaohsiungKHH · approx. 8h 45mDubai → Kaohsiung →Kaohsiung → Dubai →

South Asia · 13 cities · 26 routes

CityAirport · flight timeOutboundReturn leg
MumbaiBOM · approx. 3h 15mDubai → Mumbai →Mumbai → Dubai →
DelhiDEL · approx. 3h 30mDubai → Delhi →Delhi → Dubai →
BengaluruBLR · approx. 4h 00mDubai → Bengaluru →Bengaluru → Dubai →
KarachiKHI · approx. 2h 20mDubai → Karachi →Karachi → Dubai →
DhakaDAC · approx. 4h 50mDubai → Dhaka →Dhaka → Dubai →
ChennaiMAA · approx. 4h 15mDubai → Chennai →Chennai → Dubai →
HyderabadHYD · approx. 3h 45mDubai → Hyderabad →Hyderabad → Dubai →
AhmedabadAMD · approx. 3h 00mDubai → Ahmedabad →Ahmedabad → Dubai →
ColomboCMB · approx. 4h 30mDubai → Colombo →Colombo → Dubai →
LahoreLHE · approx. 3h 00mDubai → Lahore →Lahore → Dubai →
KathmanduKTM · approx. 4h 30mDubai → Kathmandu →Kathmandu → Dubai →
MaléMLE · approx. 4h 15mDubai → Malé →Malé → Dubai →
ChattogramCGP · approx. 5h 00mDubai → Chattogram →Chattogram → Dubai →

Middle East & Africa · 27 cities · 54 routes

CityAirport · flight timeOutboundReturn leg
RiyadhRUH · approx. 2h 00mDubai → Riyadh →Riyadh → Dubai →
DohaDOH · approx. 1h 10mDubai → Doha →Doha → Dubai →
CairoCAI · approx. 3h 40mDubai → Cairo →Cairo → Dubai →
NairobiNBO · approx. 5h 00mDubai → Nairobi →Nairobi → Dubai →
JohannesburgJNB · approx. 8h 00mDubai → Johannesburg →Johannesburg → Dubai →
LagosLOS · approx. 7h 30mDubai → Lagos →Lagos → Dubai →
JeddahJED · approx. 2h 30mDubai → Jeddah →Jeddah → Dubai →
Kuwait CityKWI · approx. 1h 45mDubai → Kuwait City →Kuwait City → Dubai →
ManamaBAH · approx. 1h 20mDubai → Manama →Manama → Dubai →
MuscatMCT · approx. 1h 00mDubai → Muscat →Muscat → Dubai →
AmmanAMM · approx. 3h 00mDubai → Amman →Amman → Dubai →
AccraACC · approx. 8h 00mDubai → Accra →Accra → Dubai →
Addis AbabaADD · approx. 4h 00mDubai → Addis Ababa →Addis Ababa → Dubai →
CasablancaCMN · approx. 8h 30mDubai → Casablanca →Casablanca → Dubai →
Cape TownCPT · approx. 10h 30mDubai → Cape Town →Cape Town → Dubai →
DurbanDUR · approx. 9h 30mDubai → Durban →Durban → Dubai →
Dar es SalaamDAR · approx. 5h 00mDubai → Dar es Salaam →Dar es Salaam → Dubai →
KampalaEBB · approx. 5h 30mDubai → Kampala →Kampala → Dubai →
KigaliKGL · approx. 5h 45mDubai → Kigali →Kigali → Dubai →
AbidjanABJ · approx. 8h 00mDubai → Abidjan →Abidjan → Dubai →
DakarDSS · approx. 8h 30mDubai → Dakar →Dakar → Dubai →
LuandaLAD · approx. 9h 00mDubai → Luanda →Luanda → Dubai →
TunisTUN · approx. 6h 45mDubai → Tunis →Tunis → Dubai →
AlgiersALG · approx. 7h 00mDubai → Algiers →Algiers → Dubai →
Port LouisMRU · approx. 6h 30mDubai → Port Louis →Port Louis → Dubai →
DammamDMM · approx. 1h 15mDubai → Dammam →Dammam → Dubai →
ErbilEBL · approx. 3h 00mDubai → Erbil →Erbil → Dubai →

How we work. OnBoard Courier operates as a specialist coordination and courier-matching platform based in the UAE. Depending on the shipment, transport is performed by vetted independent couriers or coordinated with licensed logistics providers, customs specialists and appropriately certified handling partners. For regulated pharmaceutical, biological and dangerous-goods consignments we work with partners who hold the relevant licences, training or certification, acceptance is always subject to cargo classification, packaging, documentation, airline approval and the regulations of every country involved. We are independent and not affiliated with any airline.

On board courier vs air cargo

Whichever route you pick from the list above, the same question comes first: does this need a person in a seat, or is air cargo the right answer?

On board courier

A person in a seat

  • Leaves on the next available flight, often within hours of your call, 24/7.
  • One named courier holds the consignment from collection to signature.
  • Travels in the aircraft cabin wherever the airline, cargo classification and security rules permit it; the transport configuration is confirmed before booking.
  • No warehouse, no consolidation window, no overnight sort.
  • Customs cleared in person, questions answered at the counter, immediately.
  • Same-day delivery is realistic on most sectors out of the UAE.
  • Built for high-value, fragile, temperature-critical goods and originals.
  • Proof of delivery with signature, ID check and a photograph within minutes.
  • A human being you can call at any point of the journey.

Air cargo & express freight

A parcel in a system

  • Waits for the next consolidation and space allocation, not for you.
  • Passes through many hands: hub, build-up, ramp, break-down, delivery agent.
  • Rides in the hold, frequently sitting in a warehouse overnight.
  • Each handover is a queue, and each queue is where hours disappear.
  • Cleared in a batch by a broker; one query can idle the shipment for a day.
  • Next day at best on most lanes, two to three days if it is held.
  • Chain of custody is a scan history, not a person with the box.
  • Signed for by whoever happens to be at the door.
  • Right answer for heavy, bulky or non-urgent freight, and we will say so.

To be straight about it: air cargo is not a bad service, it is a different one. It moves weight cheaply and it does that extremely well. A hand-carry buys back hours, and it is worth paying for exactly when an hour of delay costs more than a seat on a plane, which is the case far more often than most shippers assume, and far less often than most courier companies claim.

Routes that are not on the list

The cities above are the lanes we run most often, they are not a limit. An on board courier can fly anywhere a scheduled airline goes, and Dubai connects to more of the world non-stop than almost any other city. If the destination is not listed, ask. We will tell you the next realistic departure and what it costs, or say honestly that a different solution is faster.

On board courier, wherever it has to go

People usually find this service when something has already gone wrong: a line has stopped, a sample is about to expire, a document has to be somewhere tomorrow that it cannot reach. It is worth understanding how the service works before that day rather than during it.

01

It is also worth saying what the service does not fix. It does not make a permit appear, it does not make a sanctioned party acceptable, and it does not make an undeclared battery legal. Where those are the problem, a courier only makes the problem arrive faster, which is why the screening happens before the quote.

02

The other thing being bought is answerability. When a customs officer has a question about a shipment, the shipment cannot answer, so it waits for someone who can. When the question is asked of a courier standing at the counter with the invoice in their hand, it is answered immediately. That is not a marketing claim; it is the entire operational advantage compressed into one sentence.

03

Applied to the destination, the practical upshot is simple: tell us the contents, the value, the deadline and the receiving party, and we will tell you within the hour whether a courier is the right answer, what it costs, and which flight it goes on. Where the honest answer is freight, you will get that instead.

How an assignment actually runs

Most people booking a courier for the first time want to know what the hours look like. This is the real sequence for an assignment, the parts we control, the parts the airline controls, and the part where customs decides how the day goes.

Minute 0 to 15

You tell us what it is

Everything starts with an honest description of the goods. We ask what it is, what it costs, who is receiving it and when it must be in their hands. Vague answers produce vague quotes and, far worse, customs problems at the other end.

Minute 15 to 45

We screen it and price it

Before a price exists we screen the parties, the commodity and the route against sanctions and export-control lists, and we check whether the destination requires a permit or a licensed consignee for that category. This is also where we occasionally say no, and a provider who never says no has simply moved the risk onto you.

Hour 1 to 3

A named courier is assigned and booked

We name the courier and the flight before you pay, not after. That means a real person with a passport valid well beyond the trip, the visas the the destination routing needs, and a record of assignments they have already closed cleanly.

Hour 2 to 4

Collection, sealing and documentation

Collection is a documented handover, not a pickup. Identity checked, contents verified against the invoice, seal applied and numbered, photographs taken, and the file opened. From that point one named person holds the consignment until someone at the destination signs for it.

In flight

The consignment stays in the cabin

It stays in one named courier's documented custody for the whole sector, in the aircraft cabin wherever size, classification, security rules and the operating airline permit it, and otherwise under an approved accompanied process. On the ground at any transit point the courier stays airside with it. There is no depot, no consolidation window and no overnight sort anywhere in the routing.

On arrival

Customs, then a signature

At the arrival airport the goods are declared properly, a commercial consignment goes through the red channel, and a courier who chooses the green channel to save twenty minutes has committed an offence rather than a shortcut. Delivery follows immediately, against a signed and timestamped receipt.

Who books a courier

Hand-carry demand is not evenly spread, it clusters in industries where an hour of delay costs more than the flight. These are the ones that book us most often, and what they send.

Jewellery, watches and precious goods

Loose stones, finished pieces, movements and bullion documentation, carried in the cabin under one named person's custody and declared properly on arrival in the destination country rather than hopefully.

Fashion and product samples

Lab dips, lookbooks, couture pieces and pre-production units that have to be in a buyer's hands before the meeting. After the meeting they are worth exactly nothing.

Media, events and production

Rushes, masters, broadcast hardware and event material with a transmission or a stage time attached, deadlines that do not move because logistics had a difficult day.

Life sciences and diagnostics

Clinical trial samples, diagnostic material, reference standards and biologics, most of them with a stability window measured in hours rather than days and a data logger recording every minute of the journey.

Legal, banking and tender originals

Closing documents, tender submissions, legalised certificates, guarantees and instruments that only count as originals. A scan is not a submission, and a deadline at the destination is usually a clock on a wall rather than a courtesy.

Energy, marine and mining

Downhole and subsea electronics, marine spares for a vessel with a sailing window, assay samples with a chain-of-custody requirement, and project equipment on a contractual schedule.

The paperwork that decides how fast it clears

Nothing delays a hand-carry as reliably as a document that says something different from the box. This is what we prepare with you before the courier leaves, and why each piece matters at the arrival airport.

Seal and photographic record

A numbered tamper-evident seal applied at collection and checked at delivery, with photographs at both ends. It costs nothing and it settles every argument about whether a package was opened between the two points.

Legalisation and attestation

Documents that must be legalised, apostilled or attested to be valid in the destination country are checked before the courier collects them. A perfectly delivered document that lacks the right stamp has not solved anybody's problem.

Certificates and permits

Certificates of origin, health and phytosanitary certificates, dangerous goods declarations, export licences for dual-use items, import permits for regulated categories. We identify which of these the destination country wants for your specific commodity at the quoting stage, because discovering it at the arrival airport is far too late.

ATA Carnet and temporary admission

Where goods enter the destination country temporarily and leave again, demonstration equipment, exhibition pieces, professional gear, a carnet avoids duty entirely and gives the courier a document the officer recognises immediately. It has to be issued before departure; there is no retrospective version.

Proforma invoice for non-sales

Repairs, exhibition goods, replacements and samples still need a document with a realistic value on it. The value is what the goods are worth, not what you would like the duty to be, an understated value is a customs offence in the destination country rather than a negotiating position.

Tariff classification

The HS code decides the duty, the permits and sometimes whether the goods may enter the destination country at all. We would rather agree the classification with you before departure than watch an officer choose one for us, because the officer's choice is the one that stands.

What an on board courier actually costs, and why

We do not publish a price list, because a fixed table would be a lie: the same box on the same route costs differently at four hours' notice than at two days'. What we can do is be exact about which levers move the number, so nothing in the quote is a surprise.

Visas and positioning

If the routing to the destination country needs a visthe courier does not hold, either we assign a courier who does or we position one, and a global network exists precisely so that the answer is usually the first option rather than the second.

The ground legs at both ends

Collection in the Emirates and delivery beyond the arrival airport are part of the job, not an extra. Where the delivery address is a long drive from the airport, or a second domestic sector is needed, we price it in from the start instead of stopping at arrivals.

Declared value and insurance

All-risk cover is priced on the declared value of the goods, and it is the number that matters, airline liability under the Montreal Convention is a fraction of what most courier consignments are worth. Understating the value to save a little on cover is a false economy the first time anything goes wrong.

How much notice you give us

A seat bought four hours before departure costs what a seat bought four hours before departure costs. Nothing about that is a courier margin, it is simply the airline's pricing curve, and it is the single largest variable in a quote.

What is always included

Ticket, courier fee, airport transfers, the hotel where an overnight is unavoidable, the documentation work and our operations desk being awake for the whole journey. What is not included is duty and tax in the destination country, and anything you ask for after departure that changes the routing.

Distance and sector count

A direct flight is one ticket and one risk. A two-sector routing is cheaper on paper and more expensive in practice, because every connection is a chance to lose the consignment's schedule. We quote the routing we would actually fly, not the cheapest one that technically arrives.

Every quote we send is fixed before departure and contains the flight, the courier's fee, transfers and, where an overnight cannot be avoided, the hotel. The things that can change it afterwards are the things you control: a change of destination, a change of goods, or a delay at your end that costs the booked flight. Duty and tax in the destination country sit with the consignee unless we have agreed otherwise in writing.

Dubai skyline at dusk
From the pearl divers to the departure gates, this coast has always moved what the world was waiting for.
The story of the Gulf

What can go wrong on an assignment, and what we do about it

Every operator has these problems. The difference is whether the answer was decided in advance or invented at the counter. This is our answer to each of them, written down before you need it.

The declared value is challenged

It happens, and it is survivable when the invoice is realistic and consistent with the goods. It is not survivable when someone wrote a convenient number. We check this before departure precisely because there is no way to fix it afterwards.

Customs asks a question

A person can answer it. That single fact is most of the difference between a hand-carry and a cargo booking: a query at the arrival airport that would idle a shipment for a day gets resolved at the counter in minutes because the person who knows what is in the box is standing there.

The connection is missed

This is why we build routings above the minimum connection time rather than at it. Where a connection is genuinely tight, the courier holds the consignment airside and takes the next available service rather than clearing into a country they were only passing through.

The flight is cancelled

Not a crisis, a routine. Before the courier leaves for the airport we already know the next two departures that could carry the consignment onward, on any carrier, from any of the seven UAE airports. Rebooking is a phone call, not a rescue operation.

Something needs to continue past the destination

A second sector, a border crossing or a domestic flight beyond the arrival airport is planned as part of the assignment, not handed to a third party on arrival. The chain of custody either holds to the signature or it is not a chain of custody.

The consignment is larger than described

Measured at collection, not at the gate. If it will not fit a locker we buy a seat for it there and then and tell you the revised number before the courier moves, rather than improvising at check-in.

More questions about our destination network

The questions clients actually ask before their first assignment, answered without marketing language.

01Do you handle customs at the arrival airport?

The courier declares the goods in person through the red channel, and where the value or the category warrants it we brief a licensed customs broker in the destination country in advance. Duty and tax are the consignee's cost unless agreed otherwise in writing.

02Can a courier carry more than one consignment?

Only where both belong to the same client and the customs position is clean. Mixing two clients' goods under one declaration into the destination country creates a liability neither of them agreed to, so we do not do it.

03How is delivery proven?

Signature, printed name and an identification reference, with a timestamp, plus photographs where you have asked for them. It is produced by the courier at the moment of handover, not generated by a depot three hours later.

04How quickly can a courier leave?

A vetted courier can normally be at a UAE airport within two to four hours of a confirmed booking. The real constraint is not our side, it is the next departure with a seat and a cabin allowance that fits. Because we use all seven UAE airports and buy on the open market rather than through one carrier, that next departure is usually sooner than people expect.

05Does the consignment ever go into the hold?

No. That is the definition of the service rather than a policy we could relax. It travels in the cabin, in the courier's custody, for every sector of the journey. If something genuinely cannot travel in a cabin, we will tell you that and discuss freight or a charter instead of pretending.

06What happens if the flight is cancelled?

We rebook. Before departure we already know the next alternatives across the carriers we can lawfully use, so a cancellation costs hours rather than a day. You are told the new arrival time as soon as we have it, not after you ask.

07Is the consignment insured?

All-risk cover on the declared value is arranged on request and confirmed in writing before collection. We do not rely on airline liability, because under the Montreal Convention that liability is a small fraction of what most courier consignments are worth.

08Can you collect outside the UAE?

Yes. Third-country assignments, collect in one country, deliver in another, are a normal part of the work, and they are routed through the fastest connection rather than automatically through Dubai. Where a courier already in the region can take it, that is what happens.

09What cannot travel with a courier?

Undeclared dangerous goods, controlled substances, weapons and weapon parts, counterfeits, unlicensed dual-use items, live animals, and anything whose parties or end use fail sanctions screening. Some regulated categories can travel with the right permit and packing; we tell you which case yours is before you pay.

From the operations desk

How jobs like this actually run

Illustrative cases, patterns from daily OBC work, details generalised for client confidentiality.

PharmaAUH → LHR

Validation samples at 2 to 8 °C for a London reference lab, data-logger sealed.

Cool-chain packed16:30
In the cabin21:05
Lab signature08:20 +1
✓ Chain of custody and temperature log unbroken.
MediaLHR → DXB

A graded master drive for a premiere, no copies allowed to travel unaccompanied.

Post-house12:15
In the cabin16:20
Screening room01:30 +1
✓ Premiere ran from the original.
YachtingNCE → DXB

A regatta winch motor between two race days.

Chandlery13:20
Evening non-stop18:05
Marina berth03:10 +1
✓ Boat on the start line.

Times are typical for these lanes; every job gets its own named flight and timeline before you confirm.

How it moves

Through customs with the paperwork ready

Carnet, invoices, permits, prepared before the courier lands, presented in person.

Inside the aircraft cabin

Join the OBC network, become an on board courier

Every route on this site runs because somebody was willing to get on the plane with it. We are recruiting vetted couriers worldwide: we book and pay the flight, cover transfers and a hotel where an overnight is needed, and pay a fee for every completed assignment, stated in the offer before you accept it. You decide when you are available.

  • Flights paid
  • Fee per assignment
  • Assignments worldwide
  • You choose your dates
  • Training in our Academy
Aircraft wing above the clouds
From this tarmac a courier can reach six continents before tomorrow night.
The geography that built Dubai
Collection across all seven emirates

Where the journey starts

Every destination on this site begins with a collection somewhere in the Emirates. These pages cover that first mile district by district, the towers, hotels, free-zone gates and berths a courier is sent to, and the honest drive from each of them to the runway.

62 districts have their own page, and the desk collects anywhere in the UAE, listed or not. Start at the Dubai desk, the Abu Dhabi desk or the Sharjah desk, or simply send the address with your quote request.

Get a quote for this route

Tell us what has to move and where it has to be. You get a fixed price and a departure time back, usually within 15 minutes, day or night.

Request a quote

Answered by a person, 24/7. No commitment. One form, one reply.

Request received. We reply by email from bookings [at] onboardcourier [dot] ae, usually within 15 minutes.

Confidential · no commitment · 24/7 availability

I need to send something

Book hand-carry delivery from the UAE to anywhere in the world, and follow it in real time. Same-day departure available.

Book a shipment → Client login

I want to fly as a courier

We pay the ticket and a fee per completed assignment. You choose when you are available.

Apply as an OBC → See the open position

Where to go from here

Continue the route

Where this page leads

Hand-picked next stops, every card is a live page, not a promise.

Three ways the desk can move An anywhere and back

Same courier, same cabin, different amount of ground work. The desk recommends one of these in the quote and prices the other two if you ask.

The lean one

Airport to airport

  • A courier meets your driver airside at the departure airport
  • The consignment stays in the cabin for the whole flight
  • Your consignee, or their broker, collects at the arrival airport
  • Cleared in person, questions answered at the counter

Best when both ends have people who can reach an airport.

Price this for An anywhere and back
What most clients book

Door to door

  • Collection at your address, sealed and photographed
  • One named courier from that door to the signature
  • Customs cleared in person on arrival, duties handled as agreed
  • Proof of delivery with signature, identity check and photograph

The full chain, one price, one person answerable for it.

Price this for An anywhere and back
When the schedule will not do

Charter and relay

  • A second courier takes over where a visa or a duty limit stops the first
  • A private aircraft where the last airline departure has gone
  • Ground relay across a border when flying is the slower option
  • Priced case by case, in writing, before anything moves

For deadlines that a scheduled seat cannot reach.

Price this for An anywhere and back

Every option is quoted as one all-in figure with a named flight. Nothing on this page is a rate card.

Ready when you are.

A firm quote within 15 minutes, 24/7. One courier, one price, a signature at the door.

Get a quoteHow it works