Quick summary
An open-jaw ticket into Dubai (DXB) and out of Abu Dhabi (AUH) is priced as one multi-city itinerary, and the ground gap between the two cities is yours to arrange. As of October 2026 that gap costs AED 220–400 (about $60–109) by taxi each way, or AED 25 (about $7) by public bus; Etihad also runs a free coach from AUH to central Dubai for its own passengers.
No sourced open-jaw fare comparison for this corridor exists, so the decision rests on a live multi-city quote measured against the transfer you avoid. Our October 9, 2026 fare scan covers only US–DXB round trips, from $508.
An open-jaw ticket into Dubai (DXB) and home from Abu Dhabi (AUH) removes one return transfer between the cities, not two. Its value rests on the cost of that leg and the fare premium for using two airports.
The ticket format alone does not guarantee a lower fare.
A taxi, a public bus and Etihad’s free coach put very different prices on the same ground gap. The choice between an open-jaw and a single-airport round trip plus a transfer turns on which of those you would otherwise use.
What an open-jaw DXB/AUH ticket is—and when it fits
An open-jaw is a single round-trip itinerary that flies you into one city and brings you home from another. It uses the multi-city option rather than the round-trip box. The airline prices the two long-haul legs as one connected ticket. The traveler arranges the middle segment: Dubai to Abu Dhabi, or Abu Dhabi to Dubai.
A single open jaw changes one end of the trip; a double open jaw changes both. On this corridor, the useful version is the single one: into Dubai International (DXB), home from Abu Dhabi International (AUH), or the reverse.
The format fits trips that run in a straight line. An itinerary that starts in Dubai, moves to Abu Dhabi and ends there avoids the drive back to the arrival airport. For a stay in one emirate with a return to the same city, the format adds a booking step and nothing else.
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Current Dubai–Abu Dhabi transfer costs
The ground leg is where the numbers have moved. As of October 2026, Khaleej Times reports a taxi between Dubai and Abu Dhabi at AED 220–400, roughly $60–109, each way. That replaces the $100–130 range this article previously carried. No start date for the change is sourced.
Dubai’s official airport taxi service sets out its own transfer terms and vehicle classes.
The public bus between the two cities costs AED 25, about $7, each way, roughly a tenth of the taxi’s lower bound. The trade is time and luggage handling rather than money.
Etihad passengers have a third option. The airline runs a free coach from AUH to central Dubai, booked in advance using the flight reference. Etihad’s coach service page carries the booking terms, also covered in the Etihad coach from Abu Dhabi to Dubai. For anyone arriving on Etihad, the coach removes the transfer cost entirely.
What the October 9, 2026 fare scan shows—and what it doesn’t
Our fare scan on October 9, 2026 covered one route: round-trip economy from any US city to DXB, priced in US dollars. It returned 34 fares between $508 and $1,449.
The lowest fare departed December 31, 2026 and returned February 24, 2027, with two stops. The highest departed December 22 and returned December 29. That was $941 more for a departure nine days earlier.
A round trip leaving on the day of the scan, October 9, and returning October 12 priced at $1,212. It had four stops. That was a $704 gap from the cheapest round trip on the same route.
Stops move the price too. The scan included one nonstop fare, departing November 9 and returning November 18.
The scan leaves out the other half of this decision.
It contains no AUH fares, no multi-city pairings and no open-jaw quotes: the route is US–DXB round trip only. Its lowest fare is a benchmark for the US–DXB leg, not a quote for the dates you want.
How to decide: open-jaw vs single-airport round trip plus transfer
The comparison is between the extra cost of a multi-city DXB-in/AUH-out quote and the transfer it removes. The fare on the other side must be a single-airport round trip for the same dates.
For a taxi traveler, the ground saving leaves roughly $60–109 of room for an open-jaw fare premium. A public-bus traveler has almost no room for a higher fare: the avoided leg is worth about $7. Those are different thresholds for the same ticket structure.
For an Etihad passenger using the coach, there is no ground saving to offset any fare premium. The relevant comparison is then with a round trip into AUH plus the coach, rather than with a paid transfer.
Run the comparison before the winter fares move
The winter window is already priced and on sale, as the scan’s December 31 departure shows. The practical task is to put both ticket structures on the same basis before purchase.
- Quote both structures for the same dates: a multi-city DXB-in/AUH-out itinerary and a single-airport round trip, then subtract the transfer you would avoid.
- Set the ceiling at $109: the top of the AED 220–400 taxi range, which is the most an open-jaw can save on the ground.
- Check the coach first if you are flying Etihad into AUH — book the free seat with your flight reference before you compare fares.
- Watch: a new taxi or bus tariff for the Dubai–Abu Dhabi corridor, which would reset that ceiling.
Confirm with the operating airline whether your bags are checked through to the final destination, since a multi-city itinerary can pair different carriers. Compare the live quotes for your dates, not the scan’s floor.
Make the comparison before you book the long-haul leg, rather than after. The structure of the ticket is fixed at the moment of purchase.
Reporting by
Questions? Answers.
What exactly makes a ticket an open-jaw?
A single reservation that flies you into one city and brings you home from another, booked through the multi-city option and priced as one itinerary. The ground segment between the two cities is arranged separately by the traveler. A single open jaw changes one end of the trip; a double open jaw changes both.
Does this save money versus two one-way tickets?
An open-jaw is priced as one connected itinerary rather than two separate one-ways, which is the comparison that matters. Whether it beats two one-ways on your dates depends on the live quote, and no sourced DXB/AUH comparison exists to fall back on.
Can I book an open-jaw for Dubai and Abu Dhabi with different airlines on each leg?
Yes, multi-city searches allow mixed carriers. Ask the operating airline whether your bags are checked through to the final destination, because a multi-city itinerary can pair two carriers on separate legs.
Is it cheaper to fly into Abu Dhabi and out of Dubai, or the reverse?
No sourced comparison exists for either direction on this corridor, and our October 9, 2026 fare scan covers US–DXB round trips only. Price both combinations for your dates and take the cheaper one that fits your route.
Does this work if I am only visiting one emirate?
No. A single-airport round trip is simpler and avoids the multi-city step entirely. The open-jaw only earns its place when the trip genuinely runs between Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
