Main airports
Dubai International (DXB) is the main gateway and a major hub for long-haul connections. It served 95.2 million passengers in 2025, up 3.1% on 2024, with 454,800 flight movements.
Abu Dhabi International (AUH) is the capital's airport and the home of Etihad Airways. It handles mainly international traffic, as the UAE has very little domestic flying.
Al Maktoum International (DWC) lies at Dubai World Central, south-west of Dubai city. It is much quieter than DXB and has a smaller passenger schedule, so check that your airline actually operates from it before booking.
Sharjah International (SHJ), not covered as a large airport on this site, is the base of Air Arabia and sits close to Dubai.
Which airport for which airline
Emirates and flydubai are based at Dubai International (DXB). Emirates uses Terminal 3 for most of its flights, while flydubai is mainly at Terminal 2 and Terminal 3; confirm the terminal on your booking. Etihad Airways is based at Abu Dhabi (AUH). Air Arabia is based at Sharjah, not Dubai, and also operates from Abu Dhabi.
- Sharjah is not Dubai: an Air Arabia fare listed as "Dubai" or a cheap fare to the UAE may land in Sharjah, which is a road transfer from central Dubai in traffic.
- Abu Dhabi is not Dubai: the two cities are separate, with a road journey between them. Check the airport code before booking.
- DXB or DWC: make sure you know which of the two Dubai airports your ticket uses.
Always check the terminal printed on your booking, as terminals at DXB are far apart.
Getting between airports and into the city
Dubai Metro's Red Line serves DXB Terminals 1 and 3, and taxis are available at all terminals. Terminal 2 is not on the metro, so use a taxi or airport bus there. DWC is far from central Dubai, so allow extra time and plan a taxi or pre-booked transfer.
Between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, intercity coaches and taxis run along the main highway between the cities. Journey times depend heavily on traffic, so leave a generous margin for a connection between Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports.
Sharjah is linked to Dubai by road, and long queues at peak hours are common. Check the current timetables with Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and the airport operators before travel.
Airlines: full-service and low-cost
Full-service: Emirates (Dubai) and Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi) fly worldwide from their home hubs. Emirates is not in an alliance; Etihad is not in an alliance either, though both have codeshare and partner agreements with other airlines.
Low-cost and value: flydubai (Dubai) and Air Arabia (Sharjah, with a hub in Abu Dhabi) operate short- and medium-haul routes across the Middle East, South Asia, Africa and Europe.
On low-cost fares, the cheapest tier typically includes only a small cabin bag, with checked baggage, seat selection and meals added at extra cost, and some fare types include a checked bag. Baggage allowances change by route and fare, so read the fare conditions on the airline's own website before paying. Payment-card and some booking fees may also apply.
Lounges
Dubai International has airline lounges for Emirates premium passengers in Terminal 3, plus independent pay-in lounges in several terminals. Abu Dhabi has Etihad lounges and independent lounges that sell access.
Travellers without status can usually buy a day pass for a pay-in lounge, either at the door or in advance online. Lounge-access programmes and some bank cards, such as Priority Pass, can also work at participating independent lounges. Opening hours, prices and conditions change, so check the airport operator's website and the lounge operator before travelling.
Airline lounges generally admit only passengers of that airline in a qualifying cabin or with status, so a day pass is not normally possible there.
When to fly
Peak season: The cooler months, roughly November to March, are the busiest for tourism and fill flights, particularly around the year-end holidays. Check the Visit Dubai site for current events.
Holidays: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, along with school holidays, create heavy outbound and inbound traffic. The dates follow the Islamic lunar calendar and shift each year, so check the government's announced holiday dates before booking. Ramadan changes opening times for some services but flights run as normal.
Weather: Summer is very hot and humid. Fog, mainly in winter mornings, and occasional heavy rain can cause delays and diversions, so check the National Centre of Meteorology forecast before travelling.
