Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone: real costs, licences and review
Aviation, aerospace and air-cargo logistics at Zayed International.
FromAED 22,000
Typical, 1 visaAED 46,000
Timeline10–25 days
Our rating7.6/10
Our view
ADAFZ sits at Zayed International Airport and serves aviation services, aerospace manufacturing, MRO and air-cargo logistics. It is the Abu Dhabi analogue to DAFZA, generally at lower cost, and benefits from the emirate's aerospace industrial strategy.
Key facts
| Emirate | Abu Dhabi |
|---|---|
| Licence from | AED 22,000 |
| Typical cost (1 visa) | AED 46,000 |
| Issuance time | 10–25 working days |
| Visa quota | Unlimited (with office) |
| Flexi-desk | Yes |
| Remote setup | No |
| Licence types | Commercial, Professional / service, Industrial |
| Established | 2006 |
Official source: www.adairports.ae
Honestly
What works
- Direct airport access
- Cheaper than DAFZA
- Aerospace industrial cluster
- Government-backed sector strategy
What doesn't
- Narrow sector focus
- Abu Dhabi location
- Office expected
- Limited relevance to service businesses
Who this suits
- Aviation services and MRO
- Aerospace manufacturing
- Air cargo and logistics
- Aviation parts trading
Let's talk about your actual case
A twenty-minute call. We will also tell you if the UAE is the wrong answer for you — it often is.