Dubai's new Al Maktoum Airport is open for business (DWC)

Get a window seat: you may get this view when landing at
Dubai's new Al Maktoum Airport

Dubai's newest airport opened on October 26, 2013. Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central (DWC), as it is officially named, welcomed its first passengers, arriving on a Wizz Air flight from Budapest.

You might be asking yourself, "Doesn't Dubai already have one of the busiest airports in the world? And isn't it undergoing expansion right now?"

Yes, indeed. Dubai International Airport (DXB) served 57,684,550 passengers in 2012, making it the 10th busiest airport in the world, and, yes, it is undergoing major expansion. But that's still not enough to meet the demands of Dubai's growth, and its vision for the future. They are talking about Al Maktoum Airport becoming the largest in the world, serving 200 million passengers (!).

Dubai World Central is an immense development centralizing aviation, cargo, logistics, conference and residential facilities in the heart of the Middle East. It is said that the airport alone may eventually serve 160-200 million passengers (for perspective, the world's busiest airport, Atlanta, served 95 million last year). It's an ambitious plan, but that's Dubai's middle name.

For an introduction to Dubai Al Maktoum Airport, from it's initial flights to lofty goals for the future, check out this story from Innovation Village, or watch this opening day news report from Phil Buzzard of BreakingTravelNews.

Getting to/from Al Maktoum Airport

Of course, our interest is in the ground transportation, so that we can share the most complete information available on how to get to and from this new airport.




There is no direct metro connection... yet, but bus F55 will
take you from DWC to Ibn Battuta station.

While it will eventually be superbly connected to the city of Dubai by metro, and Dubai International Airport (DXB) by light rail, for now travellers flying to Al Maktoum Airport have to be patient.

Here are your ground transportation options:

• Al Maktoum Airport train service is not yet available
• Al Maktoum Airport bus service is available - you can take a bus from Al Maktoum Airport to the Ibn Battuta Metro Station, a good option that operates 24 hours a day, although buses only run once an hour
• Al Maktoum Airport taxi service is available
• We are still waiting for information to be released on car rental companies onsite at the airport

This is all based on our best knowledge so far. We are continuing to scour resources from additional details as they become available. If you are familiar with the airport, or will be traveling to DWC in the near future, we welcome any additional information you can share. Input from travelers is always appreciated!



If you take the F55 bus to Ibn Battuta Metro Station, and decide to pause
for a coffee before boarding the Metro, check out the ceiling
above the Starbucks at Ibn Battuta Mall.

Speaking of the Dubai Metro...


Dubai metro platform

And, finally we couldn't resist... because we know you may go shopping at Dubai Mall:


Your really can buy anything at the Dubai Mall!

Related reading:

• Watch the Gulf News story on opening day
• The Most Expensive Airport In The World Will Be Fully Operational By 2027 - interesting 2012 story on the master plan
• About this year's Dubai Airshow, to be held November 17-21, 2013 at Dubai World Central
• How to get to/from Dubai International Airport (DXB) - the city's "other" airport