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Car hire at Dubai Airport - Discovering the UAE

Once a remote desert outpost, Dubai has reinvented itself in recent years as one of the world's most refined and exciting tourist destinations. The city boasts many famous sightseeing attractions such as the world's tallest building (Burj Khalifa) and vast shopping centres comprising popular add-on features such as aquariums and indoor ski slopes. And besides lavish mosques, of which there are many, Dubai is also a major cultural city where you can visit world-class art galleries and museums, so you'll find plenty of reasons to fill up your petrol tank (which is much cheaper in the UAE) and take to the roads with your car hire at Dubai Airport.

Its success runs hand in hand with the progress Dubai Airport has made in keeping up with the city's rapid development. No other airport in the world has grown so much or become so sophisticated in the past few decades. It is now one of the busiest airports in the world and since it opened in 1960, passenger numbers have grown at an annual average growth rate of more than 13%. Dubai Airport now caters for more than 88.2 million passengers annually, connecting more than 240 destinations across six continents.

Dubai is now blessed with two world-class airports that cater for thousands of international flights every week. Dubai International Airport (DXB) has been the gateway to the UAE since its first airstrip was laid in the 1960s, while the new Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) is a major component of the city's new development area which covers almost 7 million square-kilometres and includes shopping centres, houses and dozens of new tourist attractions.

One of the world's leading car rental companies, Auto Europe has developed very strong working relationships with all the world’s most important car hire suppliers, notably Alamo, Budget, Europcar, National, Avis, Sixt, Hertz and Dollar. This enables us to offer the cheapest deals on the market as well as the widest choice of vehicles, whether it's for a few days' sightseeing in Dubai or an extended road-trip around the United Arab Emirates. If you require some help with your booking or assistance putting together your travel itinerary, please do not hesitate to contact our rental specialists for assistance and they will be only too pleased to provide you with all the information you need. For added peace of mind, why not visit our Dubai car hire reviews page to see what other Auto Europe customers thought about their recent car hire experience in the United Arab Emirates.

Airport Information

Located in the Deira district of the city, Dubai International Airport (DXB) is the largest air transportation hub in the Middle East and the base of the UAE national carrier, Emirates. The airport is rare in that it has non-stop flights (operated by Emirates) to all inhabited continents, with some of the routes ranked amongst the longest non-stop flights in the world. Famous for its well-stocked and competitively-priced Duty-free Shop, Dubai Airport plays a major role in the local economy by employing around 100,000 people.

Dubai Airport (DXB)
Address: Airport Rd, Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Telephone: +971 4 224 5555
Airlines operating at Dubai Airport: The long list of airlines operating at Dubai International Airport currently includes Aeroflot, Air Canada, Air France, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, FlyDubai, KLM, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines and Wizz Air.

Opened in 2010, Al Maktoum International Airport (also known as Dubai World Central) is an international airport still in the process of being developed in the Jebel Ali district of Dubai, just 23 miles south-west of the city. Besides the airport, the project includes large residential areas, shopping centres and dedicated zones for industry and commerce.

Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC)
Address: Jebel Ali, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Telephone: +971 4 224 5555
Airlines operating at Al Maktoum International Airport: The long list of airlines operating at Al Maktoum International Airport currently includes Aeroflot, Azur Air, Belavia, flydubai, GetJet Airlines, Holiday Europe, TUI fly Deutschland, Ural Airlines.

Where to pick up my car hire at Dubai Airport

As you'd expect at one of the world's most modern airports, picking up your car hire at Dubai Airport couldn't be easier. Most of the leading car rental companies have their reception desks prominently situated in the Arrivals Hall, but it's important to note that some of the main international vehicle rental suppliers such as Avis, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt operate at more than one terminal, so make sure you know exactly which terminal you'll be arriving at before leaving.

Car hire operating hours

	Avis at Dubai Airport Arrivals Hall Dubai, United Arab Emirates +971 4 5186744	Opening Hours: Open all hours
	Europcar at Dubai Airport Arrivals Hall, Dubai, United Arab Emirates +971 4 224 5240	Opening Hours: Open all hours
	Hertz at Dubai Airport Arrivals Hall, Dubai, United Arab Emirates +971 4 220 3013	Opening Hours: Open all hours
	Sixt at Dubai Airport Terminal Building Dubai, United Arab Emirates +971 4 220 0777	Opening Hours: Open all hours

Terminals

With a total handling capacity of around 80 million passengers a year, Dubai Airport has three passenger terminals, Terminals 1 and 3 (which are directly connected with a common transit area) and Terminal 2 located on the opposite side of the airport. Situated beside Terminal 2 is the Executive Flights Terminal for first- and business-class passenger which has its own check-in facilities.

Airport Facilities

The facilities at Dubai International Airport are wide-ranging and include an extensive selection of restaurants, bars, Duty-free shopping areas (specialising in jewellery, perfume and electrical goods), banking services, ATMs, children's play area, conference and business facilities, a medical centre and prayer rooms. Passengers are spoilt for choice when it comes to eating at Dubai International Airport, with many top names available such as Taste of India, Subway, McDonald's, KFC, Caviar House, Heineken Lounge and many more. Additionally, there are several lounge areas at each of the terminals where passengers with a bit more time (and money) available can take advantage of a wide range of on-site comforts, including newspapers, magazines, showers and spa services, etc. The airport also caters admirably for disabled passengers with dedicated lounges available for travellers with reduced or very limited mobility.

How to get to and from Dubai Airport

When you rent a car at Dubai Airport the first thing you'll notice is that it's linked with the rest of Dubai by the main D89 road, which is also known as Airport Road, Al Maktoum Road or Al Khawaneej Road. It is the longest of the city's thoroughfares and starts at the Deira Corniche and progresses south-east towards the airport.There's also a very efficient and well-developed public transport network that connects Dubai Airport with the whole of the city centre and its environs. Many passengers find that the Dubai Metro is the best way of travelling to and from the airport, with Red Line stations located at Terminals 1 and 3 and a Green Line station located near the Airport Free Zone accessible to passengers arriving at Terminal 2. The local transport company RTA operates many of the buses serving the airport with terminals situated next to the Arrivals Hall of each of the airport's three terminals. RTA's air-conditioned buses cover the entire city centre, stopping at more than 80 hotels en route. The journey time between the airport and downtown Dubai is around 30 minutes but can be quicker at certain times of the day. Taxis are widely available at Dubai International Airport and operate around the clock, seven days a week.

For information about driving in the UAE please read our driving information guide or contact our reservations specialist if you have questions regarding age restrictions or toll payments.

Parking Tips

Dubai International Airport provides both short- and long-term parking options with the former offering very convenient locations right in front of each of the three terminals. Short-term parking is generally the best option for travellers who only need to park their car rental at Dubai Airport for up to 5 hours. Parking for longer periods is best at the airport's Long-term car parks which are located a bit further away from the terminal buildings, with airport shuttle buses on hand to carry passengers to and from the terminal. Passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility get extra concessions such as two additional hours free of charge at all the airport car parks. Dubai is a very car-oriented city and due to this you won't have any problems finding somewhere to park whilst visiting its many attractions. Local transport authorities govern the main public parking areas in the UAE and prices differ according to which emirate you are visiting. Please note that parking is free on Fridays and public holidays, which are generally the best days for sightseeing because there's much less traffic on the road.

Useful links

Dubai Airport