Parking at Dubai Airport is about to get a whole lot easier
Starting January 22, 2026, drivers won’t have to grab a ticket when parking at Dubai International Airport. Dubai Airports has teamed up with Salik on a 10-year deal to roll out a ticket-free parking system at all terminals, making the whole process smoother and quicker. With the new setup, drivers can pay automatically through their Salik e-wallet, so no more cash or card swipes at the kiosks.
The ticket-free system will be launched across Terminals 1, 2, and 3, plus the Cargo Mega Terminal, covering around 7,400 paid parking spots. The upgrade is all about boosting traffic flow and cutting down on congestion, especially during busy travel times.
So how does it work?
When you roll into or out of the car park, your vehicle will be automatically recognized, and the parking fee will be deducted directly from your Salik account. No ticket, no stopping at a payment machine, and no waiting in line at the exit.
Dubai Airports points out that parking is usually the first and last thing passengers experience, so making it faster, smoother, and totally seamless is a top priority.
Is Dubai Airport the biggest in the world?
In recent aviation news, Dubai International Airport (DXB) has claimed the title of the world’s busiest airport, surpassing Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the US. This ranking is based on scheduled airline seat capacity for January 2026, which tracks the number of seats airlines are offering for both international and domestic flights. For January 2026, around 5.5 million seats are scheduled to pass through DXB. In comparison, Atlanta is expected to handle just under 5 million seats during the same time frame. Tokyo Haneda Airport landed in third place globally.
