Getting to Al Maktoum Intl. Airport from the City Center
Al Maktoum International Airport is located 40 km from the city center, in Jebel Ali. The majority of the airport is still under construction however it is currently operating passenger services out of one terminal.
Bus
To get to Al Maktoum Airport from the city center, for flights departing no later than midnight, you can take the red line of the Dubai Metro all the way to the Ibn Battuta Metro Station. From there you can take bus F55 to the airport. The F55 buses depart every hour, on the hour and the total trip to the airport takes about 40 minutes. If you’re flight is after midnight, the F55A buses depart from the Satwa Bus Station from 12:30 am – 6 am and go directly to Al Maktoum Airport. This bus line runs along the coast, passing by many hotels and beaches. You can get on this bus from stops in front of Hilton Beach Club, Jumeirah Beach Park, Royal Mirage Hotel, Oasis Beach Hotel, and Hilton Jumeirah Hotel.
The bus ride from the Satwa Bus Station to the airport takes about 1.5 hours. At the moment parking at the airport is free! If you’re going to drive your personal car you don’t have to worry about parking fees. You can also access the airport by taxi or rental car.
Airport Information
The construction of Al Maktoum International Airport is still ongoing, however it has been serving passengers out of one terminal for the past couple of years. There are a number of international flights to Dubai that land at Al Maktoum International Airport. However when compared to Dubai International Airport it hosts fewer flights. This number is expected to increase exponentially in the future.
Located 40 km from the city, Al Maktoum International Airport is situated in the middle of the dessert. Right now there aren’t many transportation alternatives to get to and from the city center. Moreover, there isn’t much located around the airport. However, in the future the area surrounding Al Maktoum International Airport will be completely different, with hotels, golf courses, and various facilities nearby. Since it is relatively new, Al Maktoum International Airport doesn’t have a rich variety of eating and drinking or shopping venues in the airport. If you want to grab a quick bite to eat there are chain cafes and restaurants located in the departing passenger terminal, including Hot & Roll, Papa Johns Pizza, Tandori, Thai Express, Starbucks and Vanellis Italian Foods. For shopping the only venue available is “Bin Sina Pharmacy”. The airport is currently providing passenger services out of one terminal. The “Marhaba Lounge” is located on the first floor of this terminal. This lounge is open 24 hours a day to all passengers for a certain fee, regardless of ticket class. In addition to an open buffet and refreshments there is free internet and laptop services. There are cabins where you can take a shower located between gates 1 and 6.