Dubai International Airport is the main international airport serving in the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and is the busiest airport in the world in terms of international passenger traffic. Being 19th busiest airport in the world in terms of passenger traffic, Dubai Aerodrome is one of the world’s busiest cargo airports.
Dubai International Airport is located in the Al Garhoud region, 4,6 km (2,9 miles) east of Dubai. Terminal 3 is the world’s second largest building in terms of floor area and the world’s largest airport terminal. In July 2019, Dubai International Airport installed the largest solar power system at airports in the region as part of Dubai’s objective to reduce the city’s energy consumption by 30 percent by 2030.
Emirates Airline has a central hub at Dubai International Airport and has 3 passenger lounges shared with flydubai in Terminal 3 building.Emirates hub is the largest airline hub in the Middle East; Emirates handles 51% of all passenger traffic and accounts for approximately 42% of all aircraft movements at the airport. Dubai Airport is also the base of flydubai, the low-cost airline that manages 13% of passenger traffic and 25% of aircraft movements. The airport has a total annual passenger capacity of 90 million.
Dubai International is estimated to employ around 90.000 people, indirectly supporting more than 400.000 jobs. The airport undertakes approximately 27% of Dubai’s GDP and 21% of the employment in Dubai. Although private jets generally prefer Al-Maktoum Airport due to reasons such as traffic and cost, Dubai Airport also has a substantial private jet flights.

Dubai private jet charter prices
Although Dubai air charter fees depend on variables such as the number of passengers, departure airport, flight time, aircraft position, flight date, the prices for private jet charter from Istanbul → Dubai are as follows.
Midsize Jet | 36.300 EUR |
Heavy Jet | 42.500 EUR |
Long Range Jet | 59.450 EUR |
These prices are average amounts and you can contact us on our flight reservation screen or by phone for the most accurate price information
History of the world’s busiest airport
The construction of the airport was ordered in 1959 by the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. It was officially opened in 1960 with the first port. In May 1963, construction of the 2.800 m (9.200 ft) asphalt runway began. In addition to this new runway, the original sand runway and taxiway opened in May 1965, and modernization works were carried out in the Terminal Building, hangars, the airport in general and navigation aids.
In 1971, the new precision category 2 Approach and Runway Lighting System was commissioned. Construction of the Aerodrome Fire Station and installation of generators were completed in December of that year and fully operational in March 1972. Also, on 19 June 1973, the Long-Range Surveillance System was commissioned and put into service.
After the arrangements and renovations made on its routes, the airport became a member of the International Airports Council (ACI) on December 23, 1980. The opening of Terminal 2 in 1998 constituted the first step of phase 1 of the new development master plan launched in 1997. As a second phase, Concourse 1 opened in April 2000 under the name Sheikh Rashid Terminal.
Construction of Terminal 3 began in 2004 as phase 2 of the development, with an estimated cost of approximately $4,55 billion. Its completion was originally scheduled for 2006, but was delayed for two years. A completion ceremony was held on May 30, 2008. The terminal increased the airport’s maximum passenger capacity by 47 million annually, bringing its total annual capacity to 75 million passengers.
The landside facilities of the aerodrome have been modified to allow the construction of two stations for the Red Line of the Dubai Metro. One of the stations was built in Terminal 1 and the other in Terminal 3. The line began service on September 9, 2009 and was opened in stages over the next year. The second Metro line, Green Line, passes near the Airport Free Zone and started to serve the north-eastern part of the airport with Terminal 2, which was put in service in September 2011.
After the Terminal 2 expansion works in 2015, its capacity increased to 10 million.
Places to visit in Dubai
Burj Al Arab, the symbol of the city that comes to mind first and attracts the most tourists when Dubai is mentioned, is a point where entertainment mixes with luxury. Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building with a height of 828 meters, built for 1,5 billion USD, The Dubai Mall, which is the largest shopping center in the world with an area of 1 million square meters, Madinat Jumeirah, which best reflects the local architecture to the visitors, and the city’s second largest shopping mall, Mall of Emirates, which is the center of the city, are the other places for visiting.
For those interested in history and cultural tourism, Jumeirah Mosque, Dubai Museum, Spice Bazaar and Saeed Al Maktoum House are among the must-see places.
Transportation from the Dubai Airport to the city center
The airport is served by the Dubai Metro, which operates with two lines. Red Line 1 operates between 6 am and 11 pm except Friday and serves Terminal 3. Passengers can reach the city center via the Green Line, which serves Terminal 2 and is located outside. These timings differ during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. The stations are located in front of both terminals and can be accessed directly from the arrivals section.
Operated by RTA, Dubai Buses serves the city on a number of routes, mostly Deira, and are available at the Airport Ground Transport hub and Arrivals section at each terminal. Passengers who need to transfer between Terminals 1 and 3 and Terminal 2 can use the frequent inter-terminal shuttle bus.
The aerodrome is connected to the city by the D 89 highway. One of the longest inner-city roads, D 89 starts from Deira Corniche and continues perpendicular to D 85 (Baniyas Road). The road runs southeast from Deira towards Dubai International Airport and crosses the airport to intersect with the E 311 (Emirates Road).