Table of contents
Quick answer
You can rent a car at Dubai Airport (DXB) two ways: collect it from a rental desk in the arrivals hall — there are desks mainly at Terminals 1 and 3 — or have a company deliver it to the terminal and hand over the keys kerbside. Booking ahead is cheaper and faster than walking up. The catch is an airport surcharge, a location fee added to the rate, which you can often avoid by picking up from a city branch or taking hotel delivery instead. Bring your passport and visa, your driving licence (with a permit if your country needs one) and a credit card in the main driver's name.
How renting a car at Dubai Airport works
There are two ways to pick up a rental at DXB. You collect it yourself from a company's desk in the arrivals hall, or a company delivers the car to the terminal and meets you outside with the keys. Either way it happens after you clear immigration and collect your bags, so build it into your arrival rather than expecting the car the moment you land.
Almost everyone books before they fly. Walk-up is possible, but the airport desks have less choice and higher prices on the day, and the car you want may be gone — the whole point of the airport is convenience, and a reservation is what secures it.
Car rental desks at DXB Terminals 1, 2 and 3
DXB has three terminals, and which one you land in depends on your airline. Terminal 3 is Emirates (and Qantas); Terminal 1 handles most other international airlines; Terminal 2, on the far side of the airport, is flydubai and low-cost carriers.
Rental desks sit in the arrivals halls, mainly at Terminals 1 and 3. Terminal 2 has fewer, so if you land there — or your airline's terminal has nothing you like — a company that delivers to the terminal covers the gap. Confirm the exact meeting point with the company before you land.
Airport counter or delivery to the terminal?
Both get you a car at the airport; they differ in cost and how much queuing you do after a long flight.
- Counter pickup: walk to the desk in arrivals, sign, and drive. Immediate and simple, but you may queue, and the airport surcharge usually applies.
- Delivery to the terminal: a driver meets you kerbside with the car and the paperwork. It often skips the counter surcharge and the queue, but you share your flight details and may wait a little if you clear the airport quickly.
Give the company your flight number either way. A desk that knows your flight holds the booking if you are delayed; a delivery driver tracks the landing and times the handover.
The airport surcharge and other charges
The headline rate is rarely the whole bill at the airport. Budget for these on top, and get the all-in figure in writing before you sign.
| Charge type | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Airport surcharge | Typical costA premium on the daily rate, or a flat location fee |
| VAT | Typical cost5% on the rental |
| Security deposit | Typical costHeld on a credit card, released after you return the car |
| Salik tolls | Typical costAED 4–6 per gate, passed on by the company |
| Young-driver fee (21–24) | Typical costAround AED 20–50 a day at many companies |
| Different drop-off location | Typical costExtra, if you return somewhere other than the pickup |
Typical ranges, not a quote from any company. Confirm the all-in price in writing before you pay.
Collecting your car, step by step
- 1Clear passport control and immigration — on a visit visa this is where your entry stamp is issued.
- 2Pick up a local SIM or eSIM and some cash if you want them; both are in the arrivals area.
- 3Collect your baggage, then go to the rental desk in the arrivals hall, or head outside to meet the delivery driver.
- 4Show your documents, sign the contract, and get the all-in price confirmed before you accept the car.
- 5Walk round the car and photograph every panel, the fuel gauge and the mileage before you drive off.
What you need to collect the car
The rental desk checks the same things at the airport as anywhere else — have them ready so a long flight does not turn into a long queue.
- Your passport with the entry stamp or visa for this trip.
- Your driving licence, plus an International Driving Permit if your nationality needs one.
- A credit card in the main driver's name, which covers the deposit.
- Your booking reference, and the photos of your documents if the company asked for them when you booked.
How to avoid the airport surcharge
The airport is convenient, but the surcharge is real money. Two ways around it: pick the car up from a company's city or branch location instead of the airport, or have the car delivered to your hotel on the day you actually need it. Compare the all-in total, including the taxi or Metro to the branch — sometimes the surcharge is less than the trip to avoid it.
The airport is still worth it for a late-night arrival, a short trip where every hour counts, or when you simply want the car waiting. Decide on the total price and your plans, not the sticker rate alone.
Al Maktoum (DWC), and returning the car
Dubai's second airport, Al Maktoum (DWC), sits out towards Jebel Ali and Expo City, well south of the city. It has far fewer rental desks than DXB, so delivery is the common way to collect a car there — arrange it in advance.
Returning the car is the mirror of pickup: refuel to the level you were given (most rentals are full-to-full), allow time to reach the return point and the terminal, and photograph the car again when you hand it back. Keep that record until the deposit is released.
Frequently asked questions
Can I rent a car at Dubai Airport?
Yes. You can collect a rental from a desk in the arrivals hall — mainly at Terminals 1 and 3 — or have a company deliver the car to the terminal and meet you outside. Book before you fly for a better price and more choice than walking up on the day.
Which Dubai Airport terminal has car rental desks?
Rental desks are in the arrivals halls, mainly at Terminals 1 and 3. Terminal 2, used by flydubai and low-cost carriers, has fewer, so delivery to the terminal is common if you land there.
Is it cheaper to rent a car at the airport or in the city?
Usually the city. Airport rentals carry a surcharge — a premium on the rate or a flat location fee. Picking up from a city branch or taking hotel delivery often works out cheaper, even after the taxi to reach the branch. Compare the all-in total.
Do I need to book before I arrive at Dubai Airport?
It is strongly recommended. Walk-up rentals exist but cost more on the day and offer less choice, and the car you want may be gone. A reservation locks in the price and the vehicle.
Can a rental company deliver a car to Dubai Airport?
Yes. Many companies deliver to the terminal and hand over the keys kerbside, which often avoids the counter queue and the airport surcharge. Share your flight number so the driver can time the handover.
What do I need to pick up a rental car at DXB?
Your passport with the entry stamp or visa, your driving licence (with an International Driving Permit if your nationality needs one), a credit card in the main driver's name for the deposit, and your booking reference.
Is there car rental at Al Maktoum Airport (DWC)?
Yes, but far fewer desks than at DXB, because DWC is smaller and further out. Delivery to the terminal is the usual way to collect a car there, so arrange it in advance.
Can I return the rental car to a different location or airport?
Often yes, for an extra one-way or different-location fee. Agree it in writing when you book — returning somewhere other than the pickup point is not always free, and not every company allows it.
Written by the TripReview team from our own price benchmarks and the rules published by UAE authorities, and updated 27 September 2026. Figures are ranges, not quotes — check the latest rules with the official source before you travel. How we rate companies
