Private jet charter
In short
Al Maktoum (DWC) for almost every private flight, and Dubai International (DXB) only when proximity to the city outweighs everything else. Al Maktoum is Dubai’s dedicated business-aviation field: no slot constraints, a private terminal, and typically ten minutes from car to aircraft. DXB is fifteen minutes from Downtown against roughly forty from DWC, but it is slot-controlled, congested with scheduled traffic, and handling costs more.
01Where people go
2,978 nm · 6 h 50 min
from $67,500–$113,000
2,662 nm · 6 h 10 min
from $47,500–$89,000
461 nm · 1 h 30 min
from $9,000–$18,000
1,634 nm · 4 h
from $26,500–$50,000
2,004 nm · 4 h 45 min
from $30,500–$50,000
1,642 nm · 4 h
from $25,500–$42,000
02Demand
Dubai is the busiest private-aviation market in the Middle East and one of the few that runs year-round rather than seasonally. Traffic peaks between December and March when the weather is pleasant and the conference calendar is full, and again around the school holidays in July and August when residents leave the heat. Europe is the dominant direction, with London, Geneva and Nice the most-flown destinations, followed by the regional business corridor to Riyadh and Doha.
03The field
Al Maktoum has a 14,764 ft runway and takes anything, including VIP airliners, with parking that is rarely constrained. Dubai International is faster into the city but requires slots and is genuinely busy; on a peak morning the taxi time alone can erase the road-transfer advantage. Abu Dhabi is a third option worth considering if you are heading to the western side of the emirates, and is often cheaper to handle.
04On the ground
Customs and immigration at both fields operate 24 hours and take minutes at the FBO rather than in a terminal. At most Dubai handlers your car can drive onto the ramp and meet the aircraft steps. Ground handling in Dubai is expensive by regional standards — budget $2,500 to $6,000 for a heavy jet depending on the field and the time of day — and that fixed cost is a meaningful share of a short regional hop.
OMDW · DWC · runway 14,764 ft
Dubai’s dedicated business-aviation field. No slot constraints, private terminal, and typically 10 minutes from car to aircraft. Roughly 40 minutes from Downtown Dubai by road versus 15 from DXB.
OMDB · DXB · runway 13,124 ft
Slot-controlled and heavily congested with scheduled traffic. Most charter operators prefer Al Maktoum (DWC) for parking, but DXB remains faster for passengers heading to the Downtown and DIFC districts.
05Handling
Ground handling in Dubai is expensive by regional standards. Budget roughly $2,500 to $5,000 at Al Maktoum and $3,000 to $6,000 at Dubai International for a heavy jet, covering landing, parking, navigation and the FBO. On a short regional hop to Riyadh or Doha that fixed cost is a large share of the total, which is why a ninety-minute flight here rarely costs a quarter of a six-hour one. On a long sector to Europe it barely registers. Overnight parking is charged separately and rises steeply for larger aircraft, so on a same-day return it is usually cheaper for the aircraft to wait than to reposition, while on a two-day trip the reverse is often true.
06Fallbacks
Sharjah is forty minutes from Dubai Marina and materially cheaper to handle, which occasionally makes sense for a cost-sensitive charter that is not in a hurry. Abu Dhabi is around ninety minutes by road but has a dedicated royal terminal and is the better arrival for anyone heading to the western emirates or to Yas Island. Ras Al Khaimah is worth knowing about for aircraft parking rather than passengers: when Dubai is full over the New Year period, aircraft frequently drop passengers at DWC and park there. None of these change the flight time meaningfully — they change the road journey and the handling bill.
07Before you pay
Every quote from Dubai comes back in this shape, whichever aircraft turns out to be closest. The figures below are computed for the busiest leg on this page.
Specimen reply — not a live quote
DWC → LTN
What comes back on Telegram, usually inside 15 minutes.
All in, nothing to add
$67,500–$113,000
There is never a second invoice. VAT, de-icing and peak surcharges are shown separately when they apply, before you agree to anything.
And what we commit to
Nothing is charged before the aircraft is confirmed.
You receive the operating carrier’s legal name, its AOC number and the aircraft registration in writing before any invoice or wallet address is issued. If those three things are not in front of you, you have not been asked to pay yet.
If the operator cancels, you choose the remedy — not us.
Aircraft go technical and operators occasionally fail. When that happens before departure you are offered a replacement aircraft on equivalent terms or a full refund, and the choice between them is yours. We do not get to decide that a substitute was good enough.
Crypto refunds return in the same asset, at the USD value originally invoiced.
A refund goes back in the asset you paid, on the network you used, valued at the dollar figure on the original invoice rather than the market on the day. An operator’s problem is not a reason for you to carry a currency loss.
These form part of our terms of business. If any of them changes, the change is dated there rather than made quietly here.
08Questions
09Get a price
Nothing is charged until the aircraft is confirmed and you have the operator name and tail number in writing.
A broker is on duty · 24/7
Route, date, number of people. That is enough to start — a broker comes back with real aircraft and a real price, usually within 15 minutes, at any hour. If you would rather write it out, use the form.