DAFZA Company Setup
Premium trading base inside Dubai International Airport's cargo ecosystem.
- Ownership
- 100% foreign
- Setup time
- 1 to 3 weeks
- Licence cost
- from AED 20,000
- Visas
- Tied to office space
Dubai Airport Free Zone sits within the Dubai International Airport perimeter, giving members bonded, on-airport logistics for high-value, time-critical cargo. Electronics, pharmaceuticals, aerospace parts and luxury goods dominate the tenant mix, businesses where hours in customs matter more than warehouse rent.
DAFZA is a premium zone: office quality, service levels and pricing all sit above the mid-market. In return, members get DXB's air-cargo connectivity to every major market, fast customs clearance and an address that carries weight with suppliers and banks across the region.
Who DAFZA suits
- Electronics and tech distribution
- Pharma and medical devices
- Aviation and aerospace suppliers
- Luxury and high-value goods trading
Why choose DAFZA
- Located inside the DXB airport cargo ecosystem
- Bonded facilities with rapid customs clearance
- Premium office stock and service standards
- Strong reputation with banks and multinationals
- 0% corporate tax available for qualifying zone income
DAFZA frequently asked questions
How much does a DAFZA setup cost?
First-year packages with a smart desk start around AED 20,000 to AED 30,000; dedicated offices and warehousing scale from there. DAFZA prices above mid-market zones, and the case for paying it is cargo velocity.
Who should choose DAFZA over JAFZA?
Air freight versus sea freight. High-value, low-bulk goods that fly, electronics, pharma, aerospace parts, benefit from DAFZA's on-airport bonding at DXB. Containerised volume belongs at Jebel Ali. Mixed flows sometimes justify presence in both.
Does DAFZA suit services companies?
It can, the offices are excellent and the address is strong, but a pure services firm usually gets better value at IFZA, Meydan or DMCC. We recommend DAFZA mainly where the cargo ecosystem is actually used.
What is customs clearance like at DAFZA?
Goods land at DXB and move into bonded DAFZA facilities without leaving airport customs control, with clearance measured in hours. For re-export businesses this collapses lead times against off-airport warehousing.