Four UAE airports, and which suits your group.
Your airline usually decides where you land, but planners often have a choice of routes. This page sets out how far apart the four main airports are, what each airport says about airlines and pick-ups, and how the drive to your hotel changes.
Start with the airport code on your ticket
The three-letter code on the ticket decides the airport: DXB, DWC, AUH or SHJ. Groups mix these up more often than you would expect, and the error can cost the best part of an hour on the road. If one flight in a party lands at a different airport, say so in your booking.
This page does not say which airport is best. It lists what the operators publish and adds our own approximate road figures. The airports are Dubai International, Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central, Zayed International in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah International. Ras Al Khaimah has a fifth airport, covered at the end.
Planning this trip? Tell us the date and group size for a fixed price.
Get a quoteThe airports at a glance
| Airport | What the operator says | Airlines listed (examples) |
|---|---|---|
| DXB, Dubai International | Three terminals. Red Line Metro at Terminals 1 and 3. No pick-up area at Arrivals; use the car park. | Emirates, British Airways, Lufthansa, KLM, Air France, Virgin Atlantic, United, Delta, Qantas and many more |
| DWC, Al Maktoum | About 60 km from DXB. No dedicated pick-up area at Arrivals; use the car park. No Metro into the terminal. | The airport directory lists many carriers; check the live flight status |
| AUH, Zayed International | Pick-ups at Arrivals use the Short Stay Car Park opposite the terminal. A pre-arranged private-transfer driver meets you at a designated area. | 40 carriers listed, including Etihad, British Airways, Eurowings, Wizz Air, Turkish and Qatar |
| SHJ, Sharjah | 13 km south east of Sharjah, according to its FAQ. Parts of that site look dated. | Air Arabia, Qatar Airways, IndiGo, Pegasus, Ethiopian, Egyptair and others |
Read the airline column as a list from each airport’s own directory, not as a flight schedule. A carrier can be listed and not fly on your date. At DWC in particular, the directory names carriers that also appear at DXB, so we do not name a Western scheduled airline as flying there. Check the live board.
How far apart they are
These are approximate road distances and drive times from OpenStreetMap routing, with no traffic. Add time at peak hours, and add the usual margin for baggage and customs before the driver can leave.
| From | To DXB | To DWC | To SHJ | To AUH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DXB (Terminal 3) | - | 57 km, 45 to 60 min | 27 km, 20 to 25 min | 126 km, 70 to 85 min |
| DWC | 58 km, 45 to 60 min | - | 77 km, 55 to 75 min | 96 km, 60 to 75 min |
| SHJ | 25 km, 20 to 25 min | 78 km, 55 to 70 min | - | 150 km, 80 to 105 min |
| AUH | 127 km, 70 to 90 min | 92 km, 60 to 75 min | 152 km, 85 to 110 min | - |
Where the airport publishes its own figure, ours defers to it: DXB to DWC is approximately 60 km. The Metro and the Etihad Rail stations do not reach any of these airports directly, so do not plan a train to the terminal.
Which hotel areas sit closest to which airport
Drive time to the hotel is where the choice shows. Again approximate, no traffic.
| To | From DXB | From DWC | From SHJ | From AUH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai Marina | 25 to 30 min | 30 to 40 min | 40 to 50 min | 50 to 65 min |
| Downtown Dubai | 10 to 15 min | 40 to 55 min | 25 to 35 min | 60 to 80 min |
| Palm Jumeirah | 30 to 35 min | 40 to 50 min | 45 to 55 min | 60 to 75 min |
| Abu Dhabi Corniche | 80 to 105 min | 75 to 95 min | 95 to 120 min | 30 to 40 min |
| Yas Island | 65 to 85 min | 60 to 75 min | 80 to 105 min | 20 to 25 min |
| Sharjah city, Al Majaz | 10 to 15 min | 55 to 70 min | 15 to 20 min | 80 to 100 min |
For Dubai hotels in practice, the free-flow DXB figures run shorter than the planning ranges on our hotel area drive times guide, which allows 35 to 45 minutes to the Marina. Use the guide for planning and this table for comparing airports.
Matching airports to a trip
- Dubai hotels, most routes: DXB is closest to Downtown, Deira and Old Dubai. See the group airport transfer page, and tell us every flight number if your party splits across the three terminals.
- Expo City and the south: the Al Maktoum transfer page covers DWC, the closer airport for Dubai South.
- Abu Dhabi stays and Yas Island: AUH is a short drive from Yas Island, about 20 to 25 minutes. Flying into DXB and driving takes far longer; read DXB to Abu Dhabi hotels or Abu Dhabi transfers.
- Sharjah and the northern emirates: SHJ is close to Sharjah city. See Dubai and Sharjah airport transfers.
- Onward flights: the guide to Dubai to Abu Dhabi airport for onward flights covers a change of airport mid-trip.
The fifth airport: Ras Al Khaimah
Ras Al Khaimah International lists scheduled flights by Air Arabia, Air India Express and IndiGo, plus charters. It runs a free shuttle with six stops across four emirates, but its Dubai stops are Deira, Al Quoz and Muhaisnah, not DXB. Approximate road time from RAK to DXB Terminal 3 is 55 to 70 minutes, and to Al Marjan Island about 30 to 40 minutes. Our Ras Al Khaimah transfer page has the route.
Booking from abroad
Tell us the airport code, the flight number and the terminal if you know it, then the hotel. We quote the vehicle size from the passengers and the bags, and the driver’s meeting arrangement goes in writing. We found no published coach bay at any of these airports, so we do not state one. For vehicle sizes see the suitcases guide, or open the 50-seater coach page. Entry rules depend on your passport; check the official UAE government visa page.
Keep reading
- Dubai to Abu Dhabi airport for an onward flight: Landing at one UAE airport and flying out of the other: how to work back from the second flight, and how much buffer to leave.
- Dubai to Sharjah Airport (SHJ): Around the Dubai-Sharjah traffic to Sharjah Airport, with the pick-up timed to your flight.
- Al Maktoum Airport (DWC) transfer: Groups landing at Al Maktoum International (DWC): the one terminal, drive times to the Marina, JLT, Expo City and Downtown, and the right van or coach.
- DXB to Abu Dhabi hotels by private transfer: Landing at Dubai International but sleeping in Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat or Yas: how one private vehicle takes you from arrivals to the hotel lobby.
- Dubai to Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH): From any Dubai address to Zayed International, timed back from your flight and quoted in writing.
- Dubai airport transfer for groups: Vans, Sprinters, mini coaches and 50-seat coaches for groups landing at DXB or DWC, with the luggage and the split flights planned.
Frequently asked.
Quick answers for this trip.
How far is Al Maktoum Airport from Dubai Airport?
The airport says approximately 60 km. Routing suggests about 45 to 60 minutes without traffic.
Is Sharjah Airport close to Dubai?
SHJ is about 27 km from DXB Terminal 3 by road, roughly 20 to 25 minutes without traffic. Allow more at peak times.
Which airport is closest to Yas Island?
Abu Dhabi, AUH. Routing suggests 20 to 25 minutes to Yas Island. From DXB, allow 65 to 85 minutes without traffic.
Does the Metro or the train go to these airports?
The Red Line serves DXB Terminals 1 and 3 only. No Metro enters DWC, and Etihad Rail does not serve any of the four airports directly.
Which airport do British Airways and Lufthansa use?
The DXB directory lists both in Terminal 1. Abu Dhabi lists British Airways and Eurowings. Check your ticket and the live status.
Can my driver wait at Arrivals?
DXB and DWC say they have no pick-up area at Arrivals and point to the car park. Abu Dhabi uses its Short Stay Car Park. Your quote states the meeting arrangement.
Do you run transfers between airports?
Yes, private ones. Send the two airport codes and the passenger count through the booking page for a fixed written quote.
Does the choice of airport change the quote?
It can, because the distance and the driving time change. We do not compare fares here. Ask for a fixed written quote for each option you are weighing.
Choosing between airports? Ask for a fixed quote.
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