Dubai Marina with luxury yachts against a skyline of iconic skyscrapers in the morning light.

Dubai International (DXB)

Dubai Airport Transfer Guide

Pre-book a private transfer from DXB: your driver tracks your flight and meets you in arrivals with a name sign, at a fare fixed when you book.

  • Driver tracks your flight
  • Fare fixed when you book
  • ✍ Name sign in arrivals

Pre-book your pickup

From

Dubai International (DXB)

Where are you going?

Prices are shown when you choose your car and time.

Photo: Rockwell branding agency on Pexels.

Dubai airports — Dubai International (DXB, 5 km from Downtown) and Al Maktoum (DWC, 45 km south, mostly cargo + Emirates A380 maintenance) — sit close to the city. DXB is one of the world's busiest airports + has excellent Metro Red Line access (AED 8 to Downtown), but pre-booked transfers remain popular for arrivals after long-haul flights, business travellers in suits, families with multiple suitcases, or anyone going to Palm Jumeirah / Marina / JBR (Metro doesn't reach beach areas).

Airport
Dubai International (DXB)
Country
🇦🇪 UAE
Distance
5 km DXB / 45 km DWC

Where can your driver take you from DXB?

Transfers you can pre-book from Dubai airport. Tap one to see cars and prices.

Dubai Marina with luxury yachts against a skyline of iconic skyscrapers in the morning light.DXB → Dubai centre

Airport to the city centre

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Photo: Rockwell branding agency on Pexels.

Dubai Marina with luxury yachts against a skyline of iconic skyscrapers in the morning light.Al maktoum airport → Dubai centre

Al maktoum airport to the city centre

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Photo: Rockwell branding agency on Pexels.

Stunning view of the Abu Dhabi skyline reflecting in the calm Gulf waters on a sunny day.DXB → Abu Dhabi

Airport to Abu Dhabi

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Photo: Sergey Guk on Pexels.

Stunning view of the Abu Dhabi skyline reflecting in the calm Gulf waters on a sunny day.Al maktoum airport → Abu Dhabi

Al maktoum airport to Abu Dhabi

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Photo: Sergey Guk on Pexels.

Destination
DXB → Al maktoum airport transfer

Al maktoum airport transfer

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Airport taxi
DXB → Taxi

Airport taxi

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Airport taxi
Al maktoum airport → Taxi

Al maktoum airport taxi

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Dubai airport transfer options compared

How long each way takes
0 min10 min20 min30 min40 minWelcome Pickups (pre-booked)15–40 minKiwitaxi (pre-booked)15–40 minDubai Taxi (RTA)15–40 minUber / Careem15–40 minDubai Metro Red Line30 minLimousine (premium)15–40 min

Journey times from the table below; traffic and time of day change them.

OptionCostTimeNotes
Welcome Pickups (pre-booked)Fixed fare when you book15–40 minMeet-and-greet, English driver, fixed fare.
Kiwitaxi (pre-booked)Fixed fare when you book15–40 minMarketplace, instant quote.
Dubai Taxi (RTA)AED 60–12015–40 minMetered + AED 25 airport surcharge. Honest.
Uber / CareemAED 50–10015–40 minApp-based. Often cheaper than taxi.
Dubai Metro Red LineAED 830 min to DowntownDirect from DXB, 5-min walk to T3/T1 from station.
Limousine (premium)AED 200–40015–40 minBMW/Mercedes. Mostly for business hotels.

Skip the taxi queue in Dubai

Your driver tracks your flight and meets you in arrivals in Dubai.

Top destinations from DXB

Destination

Downtown Dubai / Burj Khalifa

15-25 min from DXB.

Destination

Dubai Marina / JBR

25-35 min from DXB, no direct Metro.

Destination

Palm Jumeirah

30-40 min from DXB.

Destination

Deira / Old Dubai

Closest to DXB, 10-15 min.

Stunning view of the Abu Dhabi skyline reflecting in the calm Gulf waters on a sunny day.

Abu Dhabi (city)

DXB to Abu Dhabi 130 km, 90-120 min.

Photo: Sergey Guk on Pexels.

From landing to the door

How your Dubai pickup works

Passport and a phone with a booking on a red suitcase1

Book before you fly

Pick your Dubai destination, car and pickup time, and add your flight number.

Photo: Jacob on Pexels.

A driver waiting beside a black car2

Meet your driver

Your driver tracks the flight and waits in arrivals with a sign showing your name.

Photo: Lee Salem on Pexels.

A car on a country road heading towards the mountains3

Ride straight there

No taxi queue and no haggling: the fare was fixed when you booked.

Photo: Artem Yellow on Pexels.

One driver, door to door

From DXB your driver takes you straight to Dubai's centre, the station or out to nearby towns in the region, with no changes on the way.

  • Your driver tracks your flight and waits if you land late
  • Fare fixed when you book
  • Met in arrivals with a name sign
Dubai Marina with luxury yachts against a skyline of iconic skyscrapers in the morning light.
Dubai centre
Stunning view of the Abu Dhabi skyline reflecting in the calm Gulf waters on a sunny day.
Abu Dhabi
Book your Dubai pickup
DXBDubai centreAbu DhabiAl maktoum airport transfer

Sketch, not to scale.

Booking tips for Dubai

  • → DXB has 3 terminals (T1 = international except Emirates, T2 = Flydubai/budget, T3 = Emirates) — confirm yours
  • → Dubai Metro doesn't serve Marina/JBR — transfer is significantly faster door-to-door for those areas
  • → Pre-book if arriving past 22:00 — Metro reduced + ride-share surge typical
  • → Returning to airport: Uber/Careem perfectly safe + cheaper than pre-booked outbound

Complete your trip

A made-up hotel bed with white pillows and warm bedside lamps

Photo: Engin Akyurt on Pexels.

Hotels in Dubai

Compare places to stay before you land.

Rows of metal luggage lockers with a payment screen at a station

Photo: Patrick on Pexels.

Bags before check-in?

Leave your luggage in Dubai and explore hands-free.

Luggage storage in Dubai

Data when you land

An eSIM gets you online to message your driver without roaming charges.

Airalo eSIMs

Dubai airport transfer FAQ

Dubai Metro or transfer from airport?+

Dubai Metro Red Line connects DXB directly to Downtown (30 min, AED 8). For solo travellers heading to Downtown, Business Bay, or hotels on the Red Line corridor (Burj Khalifa, Mall of the Emirates), Metro wins on value + speed. For Palm Jumeirah, Marina, JBR, or Old Dubai — pre-booked transfer is significantly faster door-to-door because no Metro link.

Uber vs pre-booked Dubai transfer?+

Uber and Careem operate at DXB with clear pickup zones. Typical AED 50-100 to most central destinations. Pre-booked transfer is with name-sign meet-and-greet + flight tracking. For first-time visitors with luggage + tired from long-haul: pre-booked. For repeat visitors: Uber.

DXB to DWC transfer?+

DXB and DWC are 60 km apart, no direct rail. For tight flight connections, pre-booked transfer (45-60 min). Most travellers transit only through DXB; DWC mainly serves cargo + Wizz Air Abu Dhabi + select Emirates A380 maintenance flights.

DXB to Abu Dhabi?+

130 km between cities, 90-120 min by car. Direct transfer AED 280-400 for sedan, AED 400-600 for van. Public bus (Etihad Bus E101) AED 35, 90-120 min. For families or business with luggage: transfer.

Ready for Dubai?

Your driver tracks your flight and meets you in arrivals in Dubai.

Mobile data for the United Arab Emirates

Get mobile data for the United Arab Emirates set up before you land.

Luggage storage in Dubai

Leave your bags somewhere secure in Dubai and see the city hands-free.

Airport lounges at Dubai Airport

Wait for your flight in a lounge — one membership covers lounges at airports across the country and worldwide.

Transfers from Dubai airport by destination