How much is a taxi from Dubai airport?

A taxi from Dubai International (DXB) starts at AED 20 in a regular car or AED 25 in a van on RTA’s fare table. The meter then adds a charge per kilometre, waiting time in traffic and any Salik toll. There is no official fixed price per destination: you pay what the meter shows at the end.

How the fare is built

RTA calculates every Dubai taxi fare with the same formula: starting fare + kilometre charge + waiting-time charge, plus a fee for entering Sharjah, for entering the Port Rashid area, for each Salik gate and for Abu Dhabi’s Darb toll, if the route uses them. Only the starting fare is different at the airport.

Dubai Airports’ own taxi page gives the starting fare as AED 25, so expect AED 20 to 25 on the meter before the car moves, depending on the vehicle.

A worked example

Take a 15 km trip in a regular taxi with 10 minutes stuck in traffic and no Salik gate on the way:

• Starting fare: AED 20
• Distance: 15 km x AED 2.45 = AED 36.75
• Waiting: 10 minutes x 50 fils = AED 5
• Total: AED 61.75 (AED 66.75 in a van)

This is arithmetic on the published rates, not a quote for a particular hotel. Your real distance, the traffic and the route the driver takes all change the result, and any Salik gate is added on top.

Finding the taxi and paying

Dubai Airports says Dubai Taxi cars wait at designated ranks in every terminal, 24 hours a day. Follow the taxi signs from arrivals; there is nothing to book in advance.

Card, cash or nol

RTA fitted payment terminals across the whole taxi fleet in 2019, so you can pay with a bank card, a nol card or Apple Pay and Samsung Pay, and cash is still accepted. Dubai Taxi also lists Careem Pay, Alipay and QR-code payment.

When the ride costs nothing

RTA states that the journey is free if the meter is not running or if the taxi breaks down during the trip. Check the meter is on when you pull away.

Airport taxi, street taxi or app booking

Dubai Taxi sets a minimum fare of AED 12 for street hails and AED 13 for app bookings. Uber, Careem and Bolt also operate at DXB, with signposted pickup points of their own; see whether Uber is worth it in Dubai.

The cheaper ways into the city

• Metro: the Red Line has stations in Terminals 1 and 3. A Silver nol card trip costs AED 3, 5 or 7.50 depending on the zones crossed. Dubai Airports allows up to two pieces of luggage, including hand luggage.
• Bus: buses leave from arrivals in Terminals 1, 2 and 3. A nol card is required and cash is not accepted.
• Hours: the Metro runs 5 am to midnight Monday to Thursday and Saturday, 5 am to 1 am on Friday and 8 am to midnight on Sunday. Outside those hours the taxi is the practical option.

The card itself is explained in how much a nol card costs, and every option is compared in DXB to your hotel.

Mistakes that cost money

• Expecting a flat price. Official taxis run on the meter; there is no published price per destination.
• Planning a Metro ride for a 3 am landing. It is closed; see what time the Metro closes.
• Taking three or more bags on the Metro. The limit is two, hand luggage included.
• Arriving at Terminal 2 and looking for the Metro. Dubai Airports lists Metro stations at Terminals 1 and 3 only.
• Forgetting the Sharjah charge. If your hotel is in Sharjah, Dubai Taxi adds AED 20.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a fixed taxi fare from Dubai airport to Downtown or the Marina?

No. RTA publishes the starting fare and the formula, not prices per destination. The meter decides, and how far the airport is from each district drives most of the difference.

Can I pay the airport taxi by card?

Yes. Every Dubai taxi has a payment terminal for bank cards and nol, and cash is still accepted.

Do airport taxis run all night?

Yes. Dubai Airports says taxis are available 24/7 at every terminal.

Why does the van cost more?

RTA’s starting fare for a van from the airport is AED 25 against AED 20 for a regular car. The kilometre and waiting charges are then added in the same way.

What if the driver does not start the meter?

RTA says the trip is free when the meter is not in operation.

New to the city? Read 15 things worth knowing before your first trip and the Dubai Metro and nol card guide.

Rewritten on 26 September 2026 from the RTA and Dubai Airports pages listed below. Fares change; the official pages win over this one. See our editorial policy.