Queen Alia International Airport

Queen Alia International Airport is about 30 km south of Amman along the Desert Highway. A taxi or private transfer takes about 35 to 55 minutes, depending on traffic and which part of the city you are going to. The Sariyah Airport Express bus takes about 45 to 90 minutes to reach its stops in the city.

No. The airport is in Zizya, about 30 km south of Amman, outside the city itself. It sits on the Desert Highway, the main road between Amman and Aqaba, which makes it convenient for trips south to Petra and Wadi Rum as well as north into Amman.

Queen Alia International Airport has a single passenger terminal. Arrivals are on the lower level and departures and check-in on the upper level. Beyond security, a central area with shops and cafes leads to the North and South piers, where the gates are. All airlines use the same building, so there are no terminal transfers.

Royal Jordanian is based at Queen Alia and flies to the Middle East, Europe and North America, including London, Paris, New York and Chicago. Other airlines include flynas, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Emirates, flydubai, Saudia, EgyptAir, Pegasus Airlines and Wizz Air. Dubai, Jeddah, Cairo, Riyadh and Istanbul were the busiest routes in 2025.

Go to the official Airport Taxi kiosk outside the arrivals exit, marked with a large yellow sign. Tell the attendant your destination and you receive an official receipt to hand to your driver; fares are set by law and paid to the driver. Taxis run 24 hours. Decline unofficial drivers who approach you inside the terminal.

Yes. The Sariyah Airport Express runs from a marked stop outside arrivals, opposite the taxi kiosk, about every 30 minutes by day and hourly overnight. Buses stop at 7th Circle and other circles before ending at the North Bus Station (Tabarbour). Tickets are sold only at the kiosk, and the trip takes about 45 to 90 minutes.

Rideshare apps operate in Amman, but cars waiting at Queen Alia airport are scarce and pick-ups can be unreliable. Most arriving travelers use the official Airport Taxi kiosk outside arrivals, the Sariyah Airport Express bus, or a pre-booked transfer. Rideshare is easier to use within Amman once you are in the city.

Many nationalities can get a single-entry Jordanian visa on arrival at the counters before passport control at Queen Alia airport. Some nationalities need a visa in advance, so check the rules for your passport before travel. Visitors who buy a Jordan Pass before arrival and stay at least two nights can have the visa fee waived.

The Jordan Pass is a tourist pass that includes entry to more than 40 sites, such as Petra and Wadi Rum. It is not a visa, but it waives the visa fee for single-entry visas if you buy it before arriving and stay in Jordan at least two consecutive nights. You show it at the airport visa office.

Petra's visitor center in Wadi Musa is about 209 km from Queen Alia airport, roughly 2.5 hours by car via the Desert Highway. The slower King's Highway passes Madaba, Karak and Dana. Wadi Rum lies further south off the Desert Highway, so many travelers combine both on a trip from the airport.

The Dead Sea resorts are about 53 km from Queen Alia airport, roughly an hour by car. There is no direct public bus from the airport, so most travelers use an official airport taxi, a rental car from the desks in arrivals, or a pre-booked transfer straight to their hotel.

Jordan uses the Jordanian dinar (JOD), and ATMs are in the arrivals hall at Queen Alia airport. The country stays on UTC+3 all year with no daylight saving changes. Summers are hot and dry, while winters in Amman are cool, with occasional rain.

Queen Alia International Airport is operated by Airport International Group (AIG). It handled about 9.8 million passengers in 2025, a record year and an increase of about 11% over 2024, with roughly 80,500 aircraft movements. It is the main hub of Royal Jordanian, the national airline.