Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International Airport

About Al Maktoum International Airport

Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International (DWC) is Dubai’s secondary airport, opened to passenger traffic in 2013. It sits 45 km southwest of the city centre in the Jebel Ali area and was originally planned as the largest airport in the world, with capacity targets of 220 million passengers per year. Today DWC handles around 1 to 2 million passengers a year through a single compact terminal, alongside the bulk of Dubai’s air cargo. The airport gained visibility during Expo 2020 thanks to its location adjacent to Expo City Dubai, and a long-term expansion plan will eventually shift traffic from DXB to DWC. Construction on a five-runway, 260 million passenger expansion was approved in 2024, although the build will run over a decade.

Getting from DWC to Dubai

DWC sits a short distance from the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, which links the airport with the city to the northeast and Abu Dhabi to the southwest. Drive times outside rush hour are 30 minutes to Dubai Marina, 45 to 60 minutes to Downtown Dubai and around 75 minutes to central Abu Dhabi. The Dubai Metro Route 2020 extension links Expo City with the rest of the network, although the route requires a short connection from the airport itself. Most passengers prefer the door-to-door simplicity of a private transfer, especially as the regular taxi rank can be quieter and slower to fill at this smaller airport.

Terminals and pickup points

DWC operates a single passenger terminal that is far smaller than the giant Emirates concourses at DXB. Immigration and baggage reclaim are usually quick, often inside 20 minutes. After collecting bags, walk through to the Arrivals hall and look for the meeting point opposite the information desk, where pre-booked drivers wait with a name sign. The car park is right outside the terminal door, so the walk to the vehicle is short and works well for passengers carrying ski bags, golf clubs or other oversized luggage typical of long-haul charter flights.

Common transfer routes from DWC

The most-booked rides from DWC run to Dubai Marina, JBR and Palm Jumeirah for beach hotels, to Downtown Dubai and Business Bay for city hotels, and to Expo City Dubai for events. Transfers to Abu Dhabi for the corniche, Yas Island and Saadiyat are also popular, taking around 75 to 90 minutes. Onward connections to Port Rashid or Dubai Harbour for cruise embarkation typically take 45 to 60 minutes. Charter operators bringing groups for desert events at Al Marmoom or Bab Al Shams resort often pre-book a fleet of minivans and minibuses for the short hop south of the airport.

Booking your DWC transfer

Booking takes a couple of minutes. Enter flight number, terminal (DWC has a single terminal) and party size, then choose your vehicle from saloon up to minibus. The fare is fixed and includes Salik tolls, the driver tracks your flight with a 60-minute free wait, and free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before pickup. Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal and Alipay are accepted at checkout. Child seats can be added for a small fee and late-night arrivals are covered at the same fixed fare with no surcharge.