Jebel Ali: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Jebel Ali is a city of 210,000 people in United Arab Emirates (Dubai), 5 m (16 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), 13 km (8 mi) from the centre.
Key facts
Daylight in Jebel Ali runs from about 10 h 38 min a day in late December to 13 h 44 min in late June (computed for 25° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Jebel Ali is served by 6 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), 13 km (8 mi) from the centre, whose 14,764-ft runway is long enough for long-haul wide-body aircraft. The alternatives are Dubai International Airport (DXB, 38 km), Sharjah International Airport (SHJ, 55 km), Zayed International Airport (AUH, 78 km), Al Ain International Airport (AAN, 97 km), Abu Musa Island Airport (AEU, 97 km).
Flights to Jebel Ali: every airport, routes and times
Buses to Jebel Ali · Driving and car hire
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Dubai, 22 km — tours
- Abu Dhabi, 94 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Sharjah, 48 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Al Ain City, 112 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Muscat, 370 km (Oman) — flights · buses · car rental
- Ajman, 58 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Seeb, 346 km (Oman)
- Bawshar, 369 km (Oman)
- Bandar Abbas, 270 km (Iran)
- Ras Al Khaimah, 121 km — buses · car rental · tours
Common questions
Which airport serves Jebel Ali?
Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), 13 km (8 mi) from the centre, plus 5 other airports with scheduled flights within 100 km.
How big is Jebel Ali?
About 210,000 people live in Jebel Ali (GeoNames).
What time zone is Jebel Ali in?
Asia/Dubai, currently UTC+4.
What currency is used in Jebel Ali?
The Dirham (AED). Traffic drives on the right.
Which cities are near Jebel Ali?
Dubai (22 km), Abu Dhabi (94 km), Sharjah (48 km), Al Ain City (112 km), Muscat (370 km).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.