By Mohammed Rashad Hussain, Managing PartnerPublished 4 min read
Which airport is best for Dubai?
For a stay in Dubai, Dubai International (DXB) is the shortest ride to your hotel. Sharjah (SHJ) works when the fare is better and you can spend 20 to 30 minutes more on the road. Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International (AUH) only makes sense if you also want Abu Dhabi, or the ticket is much cheaper.
Pick by where you sleep first, then by airline. The table below shows the road side of that choice.
How far is each airport from your hotel?
Distances are by road, from the OSRM route planner on OpenStreetMap data, averaged over both directions. Times are free-flow, without traffic. Rush hour adds more.
| Destination | From DXB (Terminal 3) | From SHJ | From AUH (Terminal A) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown Dubai | 21 km, 32 min | 39 km, 34 min | 115 km, 1 h 17 min |
| Dubai Marina | 40 km | 58 km, 50 min | 95 km, 1 h 3 min |
| Palm Jumeirah (Atlantis end) | 44 km | 62 km, 56 min | 101 km, 1 h 7 min (trunk) |
| Sharjah city (Al Majaz) | not measured | 19 km, 20 min | 137 km, 1 h 38 min (city centre) |
| Abu Dhabi city centre | not measured | not measured | 41 km, 34 min |
| Dubai International | the airport itself | 23 km, 22 min | 131 km, 1 h 39 min |
Sharjah’s own airport page puts the airport 13 km from Sharjah and 15 km from central Dubai in a straight line. The road figures are longer because the Sharjah to Dubai corridor is congested and winds through interchanges.
Dubai International (DXB): the default for Dubai
DXB has three terminals. Emirates uses Terminal 3. flydubai is based in Terminal 2, and Dubai Airports lists it at Terminal 3 as well. Most other foreign airlines use Terminal 1, which has more than 50 international airlines.
Always check your terminal. A driver at the wrong one faces a long loop by road. Our terminal guides cover the details: DXB Terminal 3 arrivals and Terminal 1 arrivals.
Dubai Airports has no pick-up area at arrivals. A private car waits in the terminal car park, and your chauffeur meets you in the hall. See our page on airport pickup at Dubai International.
Sharjah (SHJ): the Air Arabia hub
Air Arabia lists Sharjah International as its hub, so its flights land there. SHJ is the right airport for Sharjah city, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain. It is also workable for Deira and Dubai’s eastern side, 22 to 31 km away.
It is a poor match for Dubai Marina or Palm Jumeirah, 58 and 62 km away. Khaleej Times reported in May 2026 that Sharjah to Dubai trips of 30 to 40 minutes ran past an hour at peak times.
Read Sharjah airport arrivals for the meeting point, or our Sharjah airport transfers page. The cost and options into Dubai are in Sharjah airport to Dubai.
Abu Dhabi (AUH): Etihad and Abu Dhabi stays
Passenger flights moved into the new Terminal A in November 2023, and the airport was renamed Zayed International in February 2024. Etihad is the home airline. Choose AUH for Abu Dhabi city, Yas Island, Saadiyat and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Yas Island is about 19 km from the terminal.
For Dubai it adds a long drive, about 95 km to the Marina. Etihad’s premium tickets include a chauffeur to any UAE address, and Etihad asks for 12 hours’ notice. Our guides explain Zayed International Terminal A arrivals and the road from Abu Dhabi airport to Dubai. For a transfer booking, see Abu Dhabi airport transfers.
So which one should you pick?
- Staying in Dubai, Downtown, Business Bay or the Marina: DXB.
- Staying in Sharjah, Ajman or Umm Al Quwain: SHJ.
- Staying in Abu Dhabi, on Yas Island or at Saadiyat: AUH.
- Flying on Air Arabia: SHJ is the hub, but check whether your fare also serves Abu Dhabi.
- The lowest fare lands at the wrong airport: price the road transfer in. Message us the airport, hotel and time for a quote.
Our other airports, such as Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Al Ain, are on the full airport transfers list, and the UAE airports guide covers each of them.
Photos in this guide
An Emirates Airbus A380 at a gate at Dubai International Airport, with the glazed terminal concourse and control tower behindEditQ / Wikimedia Commons, CC0
The domed passenger terminal of Sharjah International Airport, seen from the car parkFadi Fayad Al Taoba / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
An Air Arabia Airbus A320 at a gate at Sharjah International Airport at night, with baggage being unloadedBahnfrend / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
The main hall of Terminal A at Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi, with its curved white roof ribsOleg Yunakov / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
