Dubai airport taxi fares compared with Uber, Careem and a pre-booked chauffeur

How are Dubai airport taxi fares calculated?

Dubai airport taxi fares apply to the airport taxis at Dubai International (DXB), which are run by Dubai Taxi Company and wait at a rank outside every terminal, 24 hours a day. They follow a separate airport tariff set under the RTA, higher than a street pickup in the city.

The RTA formula is the same for every taxi. It adds the starting fare, a charge per kilometre and waiting time. Salik tolls and the Sharjah, Port Rashid or Darb fees go on top where the route crosses them.

Part of the fare	Airport taxi from DXB	Street taxi in the city, for comparison
Starting fare	AED 20, or AED 25 for a van	AED 5 from 6 am to 10 pm, AED 5.5 at night
Per kilometre	AED 2.62	AED 2.45
Waiting	50 fils a minute	50 fils a minute
Minimum fare	None listed for airport taxis	AED 12
Trips into Sharjah	AED 20 extra	AED 20 extra
Salik tolls	Added to the fare	Added to the fare

The airport starting fare is the same day and night. Dubai Airports’ own taxi page quotes AED 25 as the start; the RTA and Dubai Taxi list AED 20 for a standard car and AED 25 for a van. Dubai Taxi also says fares can change at peak hours, at event locations and on New Year’s Eve.

What does a taxi from DXB cost to Downtown, the Marina, the Palm and Sharjah?

These are estimates, not quotes. We took the road distance from DXB in the direction of travel (OSRM, OpenStreetMap, checked 17 October 2026) and applied the Dubai Taxi airport tariff. They leave out Salik tolls and waiting in traffic.

From DXB to	Road distance	Without traffic	Standard taxi, about	Van taxi, about
Deira, Al Rigga	17 km	21 min	AED 65	AED 70
Downtown Dubai	21 km	27 min	AED 75	AED 80
Business Bay	24 km	29 min	AED 85	AED 90
Sharjah city, with the AED 20 fee	22 km	31 min	AED 100	AED 105
Dubai Marina	41 km	42 min	AED 125	AED 130
Palm Jumeirah, the trunk	42 km	43 min	AED 130	AED 135
JBR	42 km	43 min	AED 130	AED 135
Abu Dhabi city	154 km	1 h 50 min	AED 425	AED 430

Hotels on the Palm crescent, such as Atlantis, sit several kilometres past the trunk, so the meter keeps running. Area by area, our guides to DXB to Downtown Dubai, DXB to Dubai Marina and DXB to Palm Jumeirah cover the roads and drop-off points.

Each Salik gate on the way adds a toll, and the RTA bills it to the passenger. Ask the driver at the start if you want a route without Salik gates, knowing it may be longer. Current toll prices are on the Salik website.

Is Uber or Careem cheaper than a taxi from DXB?

Uber, Careem and Bolt all collect at DXB. Follow the signs in the arrivals hall to the ride-hailing pickup point for your terminal.

The difference is how the price works:

• Taxi from the rank: the meter adds distance and waiting time at 50 fils a minute, so heavy traffic raises the total.
• Ride-hailing app: the app shows a price before you confirm the ride.

Neither is cheaper every time. Open the app when you reach the arrivals hall and compare its price with the estimate above for your distance. Inside the city, Dubai Taxi cars can also be booked through Bolt, S’hail and Careem, with a starting fare of AED 9 to AED 13 depending on the hour. Our comparisons of Uber, Careem and taxis and of a chauffeur against a taxi or Uber go through more cases.

Large families: 7-seater taxis and vans

Dubai Taxi runs van taxis at the airport ranks, charged from AED 25. Its pages do not give a seat count, so ask the taxi officer at the rank how many people and cases a van takes.

Pink-roof Families and Ladies taxis, driven by women and reserved for women and families, can also be picked up at DXB when one is free. Dubai Taxi lists them at an AED 25 base fare and AED 2.19 per kilometre at its exclusive locations.

When you need a known seat and luggage count before you fly, a pre-booked car is easier to plan.

Assure car	Passengers	Large suitcases
Mercedes-Benz V-Class	6	4
Kia Carnival or Citroen SpaceTourer	6	3
Hyundai Staria	6	2
GMC Yukon or Cadillac Escalade	6	3
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter	13 or 19	6 or 3

Toyota HiAce minibuses, Toyota Coasters and coaches for larger groups are available through our partner network, subject to availability. The whole range is on our fleet page.

When is a pre-booked chauffeur better value?

A taxi charges per car. A pre-booked transfer is one price for the whole car, agreed on WhatsApp before you land.

• Groups with luggage. A family of 5 with 4 large cases may need two taxis or a van, each on its own meter. One V-Class takes all of them.
• Long trips. On the airport tariff, Abu Dhabi city comes to about AED 425 before tolls. A fixed quote removes the traffic risk.
• Late arrivals. At 3 am your chauffeur is already in the arrivals hall with your name on a board. Our late-night arrivals guide covers landing after midnight.
• A day of stops. Keep the car after the airport with a car with driver by the hour instead of hailing a new taxi at every stop.

Dubai Airports has no pick-up lane at arrivals, so private cars wait in the terminal car park. Your chauffeur meets you in the hall and walks you to the car. The full pickup process is on our DXB airport transfer page, and longer bookings run through our chauffeur service.

Paying, tipping and receipts

• Payment: Dubai Taxi airport cars take cash, credit and debit cards and the nol card. Its FAQs also list Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Careem Pay and QR-code payment.
• Meter off: the RTA says the ride is free if the meter is not running or the taxi breaks down on the way.
• Tips: they are not part of the RTA tariff, so any tip is your choice.
• Lost items or complaints: call Dubai Taxi on 800 88088 or the RTA on 800 9090. Note the taxi number before you get out.

For taxi fares beyond the airport, including e-hail starting fares by hour, see our Dubai taxi fares guide. The UAE airports guide covers the other six airports in the country.