Dubai · Free zone
Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZ)
Operator: DAFZ
Free zone on the edge of Dubai International Airport (DXB), established in 1996 and part of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ). It offers offices and warehouses for trading, logistics and light industry.
- Emirate
- Dubai
- Setup
- Free zone
- Uses
- Logistics, Warehousing, Trade, E-commerce, Light industry
Best for
- High-value goods moved by air through DXB
- Regional trading companies that want an airport location inside the city
Consider elsewhere if
- You need a large plot or a big warehouse
- Your goods move mainly by sea through Jebel Ali
Free zone licensing
Companies can be fully foreign owned and take trade, service, industrial, e-commerce or general trading licences. A dual licence with Dubai’s economic department lets a DAFZ company operate outside the zone without a separate mainland office. Without it, goods entering the mainland clear customs and local sales go through a licensed distributor or a mainland company.
Who locates here
- Pharmaceutical and cosmetics traders
- IT and electronics companies
- Jewellery traders
- Aerospace and engineering firms
- Logistics companies
- Food and beverage businesses
Property
Office buildings and warehouses within the airport free zone (Wikipedia).
Formats. Offices, Warehouse units
Our view for tenants
DAFZ suits businesses whose goods move by air, as the zone sits on the edge of DXB inside the city. Space is offices and warehouse units rather than land to build on. The dual licence option helps if you also sell in Dubai.
Our view for investors
DIEZ reports 96% occupancy across DAFZ, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai CommerCity in H1 2026 (DIEZ, 2026). Demand is tied to air cargo through DXB and to trading companies that value a city location. Check what the authority allows before planning any investment in buildings here.
Other locations in Dubai
- Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza)Free zone · DP World
- Jebel Ali Industrial AreaMainland
- National Industries ParkMainland · DP World
- Dubai South Logistics DistrictFree zone · Dubai South
- Dubai Industrial CityMainland · TECOM Group
- Dubai Investments ParkMainland · Dubai Investments
- Al Quoz Industrial AreaMainland
- Ras Al Khor Industrial AreaMainland
- Al Qusais Industrial AreaMainland
- Dubai CommerCityFree zone · DAFZ
- Al WarsanMainland
- Dubai Maritime CityFree zone
Sources
- DIEZ: Our free zones
- DIEZ (Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority): home page and news
- Wikipedia: Dubai Airport Free Zone
- UAE Government portal (u.ae): Running a business in a free zone
- dafz.ae
- OpenStreetMap n13258039755 Dubai Airport Free Zone
Reviewed 7 Oct 2026.
Drive times: Valhalla routing on OpenStreetMap data (valhalla1.openstreetmap.de), car, free-flowing traffic, computed 7 Oct 2026.