Everything You Need to know about Main Airports in the UAE

October 30, 2026
Real Estate
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08 mins

Everything You Need to know about Main Airports in the UAE

Quick answer: which UAE airport should you use?

Travelers prefer Dubai International Airport (DXB), which has numerous airlines and direct flights to Dubai.

If you wish to travel to either Abu Dhabi or Yas Island or are traveling with Etihad airlines, it is advisable to consider Zayed International Airport (AUH).

Travellers looking for affordable tickets from Air Arabia and those staying in Sharjah and Ajman may be benefitted from Sharjah International Airport (SHJ).

Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), which is basically a cargo airport, does not attract much traffic from tourists.

Key takeaways

Four airports in UAE are known as DXB, AUH, SHJ, and DWC while Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Al Ain belong to the category of small international airports.
The right airport for you is the nearest airport to your destination and preferred airline, as well as how much time and money you will spend to transfer.
Make sure that you know the airport code and the terminal before making a booking. Even airports in the same emirate can be very far from each other.

UAE airports at a glance

Airport	Codes (IATA/ICAO)	Emirate	Home carriers	Best for
Dubai International	DXB / OMDB	Dubai	Emirates, flydubai	Widest network, Dubai stays, connections
Zayed International	AUH / OMAA	Abu Dhabi	Etihad Airways	Abu Dhabi, Yas Island, Al Ain
Sharjah International	SHJ / OMSJ	Sharjah	Air Arabia	Budget fares, Sharjah, Ajman, South Asia routes
Al Maktoum International	DWC / OMDW	Dubai	Cargo and limited passenger service	Cargo, Dubai South, Expo City area

What is Dubai International Airport (DXB)?

Dubai International Airport, which is also known as DXB, leads in activity among airports within the UAE and also serves as the airport for two airlines.

The airport is fantastic because of its capacity for handling air traffic..

DXB terminals explained

Here is a breakdown of Dubai airport terminals:

Terminal	Who uses it	Notes
Terminal 1	Many international airlines	Includes Concourse D. Served by Dubai Metro
Terminal 2	flydubai and some regional carriers	Separate from the main complex. No direct Metro station
Terminal 3	Emirates only	Concourses A, B and C. Served by Dubai Metro

Note: If you are flying with flydubai, ensure that you know your terminal as Terminal 2 is where majority of the confusion lies.

How to get to and from DXB?

Here’s how you can access DXB

Dubai Metro (Red Line):

You can find stations at Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 if you wish to use the metro.

If you are heading to places such as Deira, Bur Dubai, Downtown or Sheikh Zayed Road, this will be the fastest way to get there.

Cabs:

This is the easiest option and it should take between 15 and 30 minutes to reach downtown.

Buses:

Buses and hotel shuttles are also available but many hotels also provide transport themselves.

Good to Know:

Smart gates and biometric channels can help qualified travelers to speed things up.
The airport has reached its capacity which is why Dubai is planning to start moving its operations to DWC over time (more information below).

What is Zayed International Airport (AUH)?

Zayed International Airport (AUH) works as Abu Dhabi’s main airport and has Etihad Airways as its hub.

AUH statistics

Abu Dhabi’s five airports recorded more than 33 million passengers in 2025, reaching a total throughput never achieved before in the history of the airports.
AUH was responsible for processing 98 % of all passenger traffic in emirate.
As a whole AUH stated that it has launched 39 new routes and added 7 new airlines in 2025.

Reasons to choose AUH

Abu Dhabi’s best choice: to get to Saadiyat Island, Yas Island, Corniche, and Al Ain, it is much easier for travelers flying from AUH than from Dubai airport.
Etihad’s network: there are well-established links with Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America.
US preclearance: passengers going to the USA have a great benefit of going through the US border formalities in Abu Dhabi. However, please note that it is necessary to check with the airline beforehand about all relevant information regarding this service.
Modern features: there is one large terminal that includes numerous amenities such as restaurants, shops, and biometric services.

How to get to and from AUH

Here’s how you can access AUH:

Taxi Transport

Taxi transport is the primary choice for the majority of travelers. Abu Dhabi is about 30 to 45 minutes away depending on traffic, while Yas Island is nearby.

Airport Buses

The airport buses provide transport to reach Abu Dhabi city and proceed further to other emirates of the region. Be sure to check the latest inquiries regarding the routes.

Car Rental Option

The car rental option includes direct highway access with the road to Dubai, which takes around 90 minutes, depending on the traffic situation.

What is Sharjah International Airport (SHJ)?

Sharjah International Airport (SHJ) is headquarters of Air Arabia, the top budget airline in the UAE.

SHJ is the suitable airport for those who would like to save money when flying and do not mind a relatively longer route to Dubai.

SHJ Stats

The airport served 19.48 million passengers in 2025, as compared to 17.1 million year before and 116,657 flights. sharjahairport
In 2025 Air Arabia serviced 21.8 million passengers in all its destinations. gulfnews

Reasons for choosing SHJ

Cheap flights: mainly on routes to South Asia, the Middle East and Africa as well as some European destinations.
Location: close to Sharjah and Ajman and reasonably convenient for northern parts of Dubai such as Al Nahda, Al Qusais, Deira.
More comfortable terminal: it is smaller than DXB and therefore less busy.

How to get to and from SHJ

Here’s how you can access SHJ:

Opting for a taxi or ride-sharing service is the most convenient choice. Depending on traffic conditions, the duration of travel between various parts of Dubai can take anywhere between 20 to 45 minutes.
Sharjah is connected to the cities of Dubai via the inter-city bus service. For updated information, make sure to check the latest schedule.

Money-saving tip: it is important to add up the total of your expenses to avail attractive offers for the journey.

What is Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC)?

DWC (Al Maktoum International Airport) is the second most important airport in Dubai, situated in the Dubai South area.

It serves as a major cargo gateway and is part of one of the biggest aviation venture in the world.

Salient Features

The terminal for passengers was opened in October 2013, and further enhancement involved boosting the capacity of the airport to 26.5 million visitors/year.
DWC is located in the immediate proximity of Expo City Dubai and the business and logistics part of Dubai South. As such, it is far from the center of the city, thus it is better to allow for a little extra time when traveling to and from the airport.

The DWC expansion

The objective of the plan is to increase the capacity to around 260 million travelers per year, along with five parallel runways and about 400 boarding gates.

The budget is around AED 128 billion ($35 billion), and the Dubai ruler has confirmed that all flights from Dubai International Airport will be transferred to DWC.

Other UAE airports

Here are some other notable airports of UAE:

Ras Al Khaimah International (RKT): convenient for RAK resorts and the northern emirates.
Fujairah International (FJR): serves the east coast.
Al Ain International (AAN): serves Al Ain in Abu Dhabi emirate.

Which UAE airport should you choose?

Your situation	Best choice
Staying in Dubai (Downtown, Marina, Palm, Deira)	DXB
Flying Emirates or flydubai	DXB
Staying in Abu Dhabi or Yas Island	AUH
Flying Etihad	AUH
Cheapest fare, especially to South Asia	SHJ (compare with DXB)
Staying in Sharjah or Ajman	SHJ
Staying near Expo City or Dubai South	DWC (if your airline flies there)
Visiting Ras Al Khaimah	RKT

Rule of thumb: choose the airport nearest your final destination, then compare fares and transfer costs.

Airport transfer times (approximate, off-peak)

From → To	Typical time by road	Main options
DXB → Downtown Dubai	15–25 min	Metro plus walk or taxi, taxi
DXB → Dubai Marina	30–40 min	Metro, taxi
AUH → Abu Dhabi city	30–45 min	Taxi, airport bus
AUH → Dubai	90+ min	Taxi, intercity bus, car
SHJ → Central Sharjah	15–25 min	Taxi
SHJ → Dubai (Deira, Al Nahda)	25–45 min	Taxi, intercity bus
DWC → Dubai Marina	30–40 min	Taxi, car
DWC → Downtown Dubai	40–60 min	Taxi, car

Traffic can add a lot of time, especially on weekday rush hours and Fridays.

Airport travel tips

Confusion exists regarding the airport and terminal code whether into DXB Terminal 2 or DWC.
Arriving to the airport is done beforehand and usually it is recommended to be at the airport three hour before the take-off, but even much earlier is preferred during peak periods.
Make sure to check the entry requirements and the visa regulations as they differ from country to country and also change over time frequently.
Plan the entire travel cost: this means from the plane ticket cost to the cost of traveling from the airport to the destination.
Take the Metro at DXB when it is applicable: that would help avoid sitting in the traffic. when approaching Terminals 1 and 3.
Keep in mind traffic hours: due to schools, holidays and different events traffic jams can occur.

The Bottom Line

When choosing the right airport in the UAE there should be less worry about which airport is the most popular and more focus on the area where you stay the airline you fly with as well as the amount of time and money you will spend travelling to your destination.

In this context DXB is mainly perfect for travelers who are in Dubai and seek a variety of international flights. AUH is mainly the best option for passengers departing from Abu Dhabi or Yas Island and flying with Etihad.

SHJ is more convenient for those who want to travel economically to South Asia and the Middle East. Currently DWC is more relevant for travelers near Dubai South as well as for air cargo services.

Before purchasing your tickets make sure you check the airport code terminal code carrier transit time and transportation fares in order to save money on the overall cost of your trip.

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