November 20th, 2018
Dubai International airport is located close to the border between Dubai and Sharjah. For most British holiday makers, a trip to Dubai usually means going to one of the resorts on the Palm or along Jumeirah Beach. Flying into Dubai International Airport would be the obvious choice for anyone looking to book a holiday to Dubai- but it may not be the smartest choice!
Travelling into Dubai Airport
There is no doubt that Dubai International Airport offers a fantastic travel experience. The airport offers a range of shopping, dining and entertainment facilities that have catapulted it into the position of one of the worlds leading international airports.
But with that success has come a lot of traffic. Dubai Airport is busy- all day and everyday. And the congestion is not just within the airport- it is also extremely busy in the skies above.
A flight into Dubai might get you closer in terms of distance to your resort, but in terms of time, it could take a lot longer. Firstly, landing in Dubai at any time of the day, you will be greeted with at least some queues. It usually takes between 45 minutes to an hour from the time you land to the time you get out to the arrivals area.
Travelling from Dubai Airport to the Palm or Jumeirah Beach
Those that have been to Dubai know how busy the roads are. Dubai is the premier hub for businesses operating out of the Middle East and so along with those shiny new skyscrapers comes the people (and their cars) that work within them. If you are on one of the overnight flights that leaves the UK at night and arrives into Dubai between 6am and 8am, you will experience the morning rush hour on your way to your resort! The journey can take anything from 30 minutes to over an hour.
Travelling from Abu Dhabi Airport to Jumeirah Beach
Abu Dhabi airport is much quieter to Dubai. And with the new airport (which is probably about 10 times the size of the existing airport) opening in 2019, it is set to become quieter still. Although the initial plan was a for a rapid expansion of Etihad, which uses Abu Dhabi as its hub, Etihad has now significantly scaled back its growth plans.
From the time you land to the time you get to the arrivals area can be as quick as 25 minutes and never more than 40 minutes. The road journey from Abu Dhabi to Jumeirah takes about 50 minutes travelling along the 5 lane motorway that connects the 2 major cities together.
The price benefits
Flights into Abu Dhabi can often be significantly cheaper than flights into Dubai. Whilst prices of flights to Abu Dhabi and Dubai are similar, travelling to Dubai during any UK school holiday period is can be 25%-50% more expensive than travelling to Abu Dhabi. The other benefit is that when there are none of the cheaper seats left into Dubai, they will still be available into Abu Dhabi.
Our Opinion
Travelling into Abu Dhabi is a viable alternative to travelling into Dubai. It is a smoother and more relaxing experience, and can even be quicker. There are cost advantages to travelling into Abu Dhabi, which cant be ignored by families travelling during the school holidays.
Of course there is a lot to say about a holiday in Abu Dhabi as an alternate to Dubai. If you are interested, you can read more about this in our blogs!
Travelling into Dubai Airport
There is no doubt that Dubai International Airport offers a fantastic travel experience. The airport offers a range of shopping, dining and entertainment facilities that have catapulted it into the position of one of the worlds leading international airports.
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A flight into Dubai might get you closer in terms of distance to your resort, but in terms of time, it could take a lot longer. Firstly, landing in Dubai at any time of the day, you will be greeted with at least some queues. It usually takes between 45 minutes to an hour from the time you land to the time you get out to the arrivals area.
Travelling from Dubai Airport to the Palm or Jumeirah Beach
Those that have been to Dubai know how busy the roads are. Dubai is the premier hub for businesses operating out of the Middle East and so along with those shiny new skyscrapers comes the people (and their cars) that work within them. If you are on one of the overnight flights that leaves the UK at night and arrives into Dubai between 6am and 8am, you will experience the morning rush hour on your way to your resort! The journey can take anything from 30 minutes to over an hour.
Travelling from Abu Dhabi Airport to Jumeirah Beach
Abu Dhabi airport is much quieter to Dubai. And with the new airport (which is probably about 10 times the size of the existing airport) opening in 2019, it is set to become quieter still. Although the initial plan was a for a rapid expansion of Etihad, which uses Abu Dhabi as its hub, Etihad has now significantly scaled back its growth plans.
From the time you land to the time you get to the arrivals area can be as quick as 25 minutes and never more than 40 minutes. The road journey from Abu Dhabi to Jumeirah takes about 50 minutes travelling along the 5 lane motorway that connects the 2 major cities together.
The price benefits
Flights into Abu Dhabi can often be significantly cheaper than flights into Dubai. Whilst prices of flights to Abu Dhabi and Dubai are similar, travelling to Dubai during any UK school holiday period is can be 25%-50% more expensive than travelling to Abu Dhabi. The other benefit is that when there are none of the cheaper seats left into Dubai, they will still be available into Abu Dhabi.
Our Opinion
Travelling into Abu Dhabi is a viable alternative to travelling into Dubai. It is a smoother and more relaxing experience, and can even be quicker. There are cost advantages to travelling into Abu Dhabi, which cant be ignored by families travelling during the school holidays.
Of course there is a lot to say about a holiday in Abu Dhabi as an alternate to Dubai. If you are interested, you can read more about this in our blogs!
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