Queen Alia International airport is situated in Amman, just under one hour from the city center. Queen Alia airport is the largest airport in Jordan with direct international flights each day. It is situated within a modern building with high-quality facilities, restaurants, shops and even a spa. The airport also has connecting flights to the coastal city of Aqaba which is ideal for those traveling through the country.
How to Get to the City
The center of Amman is just 30 kilometers from Queen Alia airport. The total journey takes just under an hour and there are a number of ways that visitors can reach the city center.
Airport Express Buses
The airport provides its very own bus services from 6.00 in the morning to midnight every day. These buses run from the airport to the Tabarbour bus station in Amman every 30 minutes. The journey itself takes between 45 and 60 minutes depending on traffic. Those who wish to use the bus will find it directly outside the terminal building. The bus also drops passengers off at a number of stops along the way. From 18.00 the buses only run once every hour.
Airport Taxi
Queen Alia International Airport also offers its very own taxi service. The benefits of taking an airport taxi are that the prices are fixed and drivers are not permitted to change them. The taxis are also available 24 hours a day. The cost of a taxi ride to a hotel in the city center is around 20JD (28.25USD). Prices are displayed on taxi boards at the airport.
Local Buses
Amman operates local buses that run between the city center and the airport. The buses are cheap but are not as reliable as the airport buses because they wait for the buses to become full before departing. Also be aware that some taxi drivers tend to tell visitors that the buses are not operating in order to get more custom.
Car Rental
There are a number of car rental companies based at Queen Alia Airport and visitors to Amman can book a car via the airport’s website.
Facilities at Queen Alia Airport
Queen Alia Airport boasts excellent facilities for passengers. In the departure lounge, visitors will find plenty of shops and places to dine.
Restaurants
From international fast food chains to mid-range restaurants, Queen Alia airport has plenty of dining options. There are also bars and cafes along with an ice cream parlor.
Shops
Visitors to this airport can expect to find the usual duty free goodies including perfume, alcohol, and cigarettes. There are also bookshops, clothes shops and plenty of local delicacies and gifts – perfect for last minute souvenirs.
First Class Lounges
First class passengers can relax in the airport’s exclusive lounges and economy passengers can also enter the lounges for around 39 USD. As well as fewer crowds and more seating areas, the lounges also boast showers.
WiFi
Visitors can access the airport’s Wi-Fi for free for the first 4 hours. After this, it is possible to log in again and enjoy another 4 hours for free.
Phone Charging
When it comes to keeping a phone battery charged up, visitors will be pleased to know that Queen Alia airport has free mobile phone charging units in the airport terminal.
Hotels
For those who are flying into Amman quite late, there are a number of nearby hotels. The Amman Airport Hotel is the closest hotel and only takes 5 minutes on a free shuttle bus to get from the airport to the hotel. The hotels around the airport are quite far from the city center so they are not recommended for longer stays.
Spa
The Bloom Spa is located within the airport on the north pier. Passengers with time to spare can wait for their plane in style at this beautiful spa.
All in all
Queen Alia International Airport is well connected to the city center and has a number of transport options. Passengers can feel comfortable thanks to the airport’s brilliant facilities. Visitors can also take an internal flight from Amman to the Red Sea city of Aqaba in just 55 minutes.
