Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone is one of only three places in Abu Dhabi named on the UAE's VAT Designated Zone list, alongside the Free Trade Zone of Khalifa Port and Khalifa Industrial Zone [1][2]. That one line in a 2017 Cabinet annex is worth more to a goods business than any package price, because Ministerial Decision No. 229 of 2025 lets distribution reach 0% corporate tax only when it runs in or from a Designated Zone.
The Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone licence cost is the part you cannot check. ADAFZ does not publish its pricing online [3], the only official fee schedule we found dates from about 2021 [4], and the AED 14,590 "all-in" figure repeated across consultancy sites names no source. Choosing ADAFZ on an advertised number, or choosing it for a services business that gets nothing from the zone's status, are the two expensive mistakes.
Since 2013, BusinessDubai.ae has set up companies across the UAE's free zones. This guide covers who licenses you at ADAFZ, the licence types and legal forms, what is and is not published on cost, the Designated Zone rules for goods, the 0% corporate tax test for logistics and distribution companies, the facilities at Zayed International Airport, how ADAFZ compares with KEZAD and Masdar City, mainland access, and who should pick a different zone.
Who licenses an Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone company?
Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone (ADAFZ) issues its own licences. ADAFZ is a wholly owned subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Airports, established to own, operate, develop and manage free zone districts at Zayed International, Al Bateen Executive and Al Ain International airports [5]. Abu Dhabi's 2024 unified economic licence changed registration numbering, not who licenses you.
The legal basis is less well documented than the brand. VJM Global's July 2026 setup guide cites Abu Dhabi Emiri Decree No. 5 of 2006 as the zone's founding instrument, with Companies Registration Regulations effective 1 October 2011 [3]. Secondary summaries add Executive Council Decision No. 61 of 2010, declaring the airport areas free zones. We could not confirm either number against a government legislation portal, because ADAFZ's own hosted rules document blocks automated access, so treat both as reported rather than verified.
What the federal record does confirm is timing and scale. The UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism's profile of the zone dates it to 2012, as part of the Abu Dhabi government's diversification strategy, and its registration table starts that year with 17 licences [4]. By 2021 the same table showed 332 companies registered, 188 of them active, split between 187 branches and 145 limited liability companies [4]. That is a small register next to the large Dubai zones, and it is the most recent official count we found.
What the 2024 unified economic licence changed
On 6 June 2024 the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, with the Abu Dhabi Free Zones Council, launched a unified economic licence [6]. It gave every licence a standardised reference number inside one integrated Abu Dhabi registry, across ADDED, KEZAD, ADAFZ, Masdar City, the Creative Media Authority and others, run by a task force drawn from each registering body [6].
The release describes a shared registry and a common numbering system. Nothing in it moves licensing away from ADAFZ, and nothing says ADAFZ stopped registering its own companies. You still apply to ADAFZ for an ADAFZ licence, and your licence then carries a reference number that other Abu Dhabi authorities can read.
Is ADAFZ the same as DAFZA, or the new Abu Dhabi defence free zone?
No. ADAFZ is Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone, run by Abu Dhabi Airports at the capital's three airports [5]. DAFZA is Dubai Airport Free Zone, a separate zone in a different emirate beside Dubai International Airport. The Al Selmiyyah Defence Industrial Free Zone, announced in May 2026, is a third, unrelated zone [7].
The two airport zones are easily confused because their names differ by one word, and at least one consultancy page files ADAFZ under a Dubai jurisdiction URL. The confusion matters because the fee schedules, the regulators and the facilities are all different, even though both zones happen to hold VAT Designated Zone status [2].
| Zone | Emirate | Run by | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone (ADAFZ) | Abu Dhabi | Abu Dhabi Airports [5] | Free zone districts at Zayed International, Al Bateen Executive and Al Ain International airports |
| Dubai Airport Free Zone (DAFZA) | Dubai | Dubai's own free zone authority | Free zone inside the Dubai International Airport cargo area |
| Al Selmiyyah Defence Industrial Free Zone | Abu Dhabi | Tawazun Council and AD Ports Group [7] | A defence-industry zone reported on 6 May 2026, with no stated link to ADAFZ or KEZAD |
If your search started with "Abu Dhabi airport free zone" and you landed on a Dubai price, you are reading about the wrong zone. Our DAFZA company setup guide covers the Dubai zone, which also publishes no price.
Is Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone a VAT Designated Zone?
Yes. "Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone" is named in the annex to Cabinet Decision No. 59 of 2017, effective 1 January 2018, as one of three Abu Dhabi entries [1]. The Federal Tax Authority's amended list, consolidated through Cabinet Decision No. 81 of 2021, still shows it from 1 January 2018 with no end date [2].
Both documents were read for this guide. The original annex lists, under Abu Dhabi, the Free Trade Zone of Khalifa Port, Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone and Khalifa Industrial Zone [1]. The FTA's consolidated list reflects Cabinet Decisions No. 35 of 2018, 43 of 2019, 34 of 2021, 63 of 2021 and 81 of 2021, and none of those amendments touched the Abu Dhabi rows [2].
Airport status is not automatic, and the same list proves it. RAK Airport Free Zone carries a "To" date of 4 July 2019 on the FTA's list, while Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone carries none [2]. Designation is something a zone holds and can lose, which is why the current list, not a brochure, is the document to check.
Pro Tip: The list names the zone, but Cabinet Decision No. 52 of 2017, Article 51, ties the treatment to fenced areas under customs control [8]. Before you sign a lease for a goods business, ask ADAFZ to confirm in writing that your specific warehouse or unit sits inside the customs-controlled area. It costs one email and settles the question before any stock arrives.
What does Designated Zone status do for goods, and why nothing for services?
Designated Zone status puts qualifying goods movements outside UAE VAT. Under Article 51 of Cabinet Decision No. 52 of 2017, goods moved unaltered between Designated Zones under customs suspension are not taxed, goods released to the mainland become an import, and services supplied in the zone are taxed as if supplied anywhere else in the UAE [8][9].
Article 51 sets conditions before it gives anything. The zone must be a fenced, customs-controlled area with its own procedures for storing and processing goods, and an operator that keeps meeting the Authority's conditions; if it stops meeting them, it is treated as inside the State [8]. Within that frame, the treatment splits cleanly by what you sell.
| Movement from or within ADAFZ | VAT treatment | Who accounts for it |
|---|---|---|
| Goods moved to another Designated Zone, such as the Khalifa Port free trade zone, unaltered and under customs suspension | Outside the scope of VAT [8] | Nobody |
| Goods sold inside ADAFZ to a buyer who resells them | Treated as outside the UAE [8][9] | Nobody |
| Goods sold inside ADAFZ for the buyer's own use or consumption | Treated as inside the UAE, 5% [8] | The supplier |
| Goods released from ADAFZ to the UAE mainland | An import [9] | The mainland importer |
| Services supplied in ADAFZ | Treated as inside the UAE, 5% [8] | The supplier, exactly as on the mainland |
Read the last row twice. An ADAFZ consultancy, IT firm, marketing agency or training provider charges VAT exactly like a mainland business, because Article 51 places services supplied in a Designated Zone inside the State [8]. The airport address buys a services company nothing on VAT.
Common Mistake: Telling an Abu Dhabi mainland customer that goods bought from an ADAFZ company arrive VAT-free. Goods leaving the zone for the mainland are an import, and the importer accounts for the 5% [9]. The supplier's Designated Zone status does not travel with the goods. Our Designated Zone VAT guide lists every zone holding the status and the exact conditions attached.
Can an ADAFZ company get 0% corporate tax?
Yes, for two kinds of company. Ministerial Decision No. 229 of 2025 lists "Logistics services" at Article 2(1)(m) and "Distribution of goods or materials in or from a Designated Zone" at Article 2(1)(l) as Qualifying Activities [10]. Logistics qualifies in any free zone; distribution needs a Designated Zone, which ADAFZ is.
MD 229 was issued on 28 August 2025, took effect retroactively from 1 June 2023 and repealed Ministerial Decision No. 265 of 2023 [10]. It sets a closed list of Qualifying Activities. A Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP) pays 0% on qualifying income, provided it meets every condition, every period: adequate substance, audited financial statements, the de minimis test and the rest of Article 18 of Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022 [10][11].
Logistics services carry no Designated Zone condition
Article 2(3)(m) defines logistics services as "the storage and transportation of goods or materials on behalf of another Person without taking title to the good or material of that other Person, including cargo handling, warehousing, container storage, transport agency services, customs brokerage services, order and inventory management, freight forwarding and brokerage services, document preparation, packing and unpacking and other related services" [10].
There is no reference to a Designated Zone anywhere in that definition. A freight forwarder, cargo handler or customs broker that never takes title to the goods can qualify in any UAE free zone. For a logistics operator, ADAFZ is a location decision, not a tax decision, which is useful to know before paying an airport premium for a tax benefit available elsewhere.
Distribution has three conditions, and ADAFZ can meet the first two
Article 2(3)(l) covers "the buying and selling of goods, materials, component parts or any other items that are tangible or movable", including importation, storage, inventory management, handling, transportation and exportation, "provided that such activities are conducted in or from a Designated Zone, and the goods or materials entering the State are imported through the Designated Zone, and the goods or materials are supplied to: (1) a customer who resells, processes or alters such goods or materials for the purposes of sale or resale, or (2) a public benefit entity" [10].
| MD 229 condition | What it requires | Can an ADAFZ company meet it? |
|---|---|---|
| In or from a Designated Zone | The distribution activity runs in or from a listed zone | Yes, ADAFZ is listed [1][2] |
| Imported through the Designated Zone | Goods entering the UAE come in through that zone | Yes, if goods are routed into the zone rather than cleared to the mainland first |
| Supplied to a reseller, processor or public benefit entity | The buyer resells, processes or alters the goods for sale | Depends on your customers, not the zone |
| Not a consumer sale | Article 2(2)(a) lists transactions with natural persons as Excluded Activities [10] | Depends on your sales channel |
The first two conditions are geography, and they are where ADAFZ differs from its neighbours. Masdar City, Meydan Free Zone, IFZA and Dubai South are not named on the FTA's Designated Zone list [2], so a distributor licensed there cannot rely on Article 2(1)(l) however its customers behave. The third condition is commercial, and no zone can meet it for you.
Where the 51% figure actually belongs
A "51%" threshold is often attached to distribution or logistics in secondary summaries. In MD 229 it appears in Article 2(3)(c), the definition of trading of qualifying commodities, which applies "provided that this activity is not conducted by a Qualifying Free Zone Person whose Revenue from distribution, warehousing, logistics or inventory management functions constitutes 51% (fifty one percent) or more of their Revenue for the relevant Tax Period" [10].
So the 51% limits the commodity trading item, not distribution or logistics. It works in the opposite direction: a company earning 51% or more of its revenue from distribution, warehousing, logistics or inventory management cannot count commodity trading as qualifying under item (c). Distribution and logistics themselves carry no revenue percentage. The only revenue cap that applies to them is the de minimis rule below.
Our Qualifying Free Zone Person guide sets out every Article 18 condition in detail. To test your own customer mix and revenue split against these rules before you commit to a zone, model your tax position→
What happens if an ADAFZ company fails a QFZP condition?
An ADAFZ company that fails any QFZP condition is taxed at the ordinary rates, 0% on the first AED 375,000 of taxable income and 9% above, from the start of that tax period. It is then barred from QFZP status for the four tax periods that follow, under Article 18(2) of Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022 and MD 229 [10][11].
The condition most likely to break is de minimis. Non-qualifying revenue, including consumer sales and most services, is capped at the lower of 5% of total revenue or AED 5,000,000 [10]. For most companies the 5% figure is the smaller one, so the cap is tighter than the AED 5,000,000 headline suggests.
There is a separate rule for a company that stays a QFZP. While it keeps the status, any taxable income that is not qualifying income is taxed at 9% with no AED 375,000 band, and it cannot use Small Business Relief [11][12]. That no-band rule applies only while the company remains a QFZP, on that non-qualifying slice.
Quick Math: An ADAFZ distributor with AED 20,000,000 of total revenue has a de minimis cap of AED 1,000,000, since 5% is lower than AED 5,000,000 [10]. AED 1,400,000 of that revenue comes from a consumer web shop. The cap is breached, so for that period it is an ordinary taxable person: on AED 2,500,000 of taxable income it pays 9% on AED 2,125,000, which is AED 191,250, and it cannot return to QFZP status for four more periods [11].
Real Talk: If you want to sell to consumers as well as to traders, put the consumer channel in a separate company from day one. A distributor's 0% depends on the buyer being a reseller or processor, and one retail channel inside the same licence can cost five tax periods of status.
How are services companies at ADAFZ taxed?
A services company at ADAFZ, such as a consultancy, marketing agency or IT firm, is taxed as an ordinary taxable person: 0% to AED 375,000 of taxable income and 9% above [11]. If revenue is AED 3,000,000 or less, it can elect Small Business Relief for tax periods ending on or before 31 December 2029 [12].
Management consultancy, marketing and general IT services are not on MD 229's closed list, and the list has no services catch-all [10]. Designated Zone status does nothing for them either, because Article 51 treats services supplied in the zone as supplied in the UAE [8]. So a services company pays the same corporate tax and VAT at ADAFZ as it would anywhere else.
Small Business Relief comes from Ministerial Decision No. 73 of 2023 as amended by Ministerial Decision No. 131 of 2026, which extended it to periods ending on or before 31 December 2029 [12]. It is elected on the return each period, and a company claiming QFZP status cannot elect it [12]. Our Small Business Relief guide covers the election and its limits.
Quick Math: An ADAFZ consultancy with AED 2,400,000 of revenue and AED 900,000 of taxable income pays 9% on AED 525,000 as an ordinary taxable person, which is AED 47,250 [11]. Because revenue is under AED 3,000,000, electing Small Business Relief takes that to nil for periods ending on or before 31 December 2029 [12]. The airport address changes neither number.
How much does an ADAFZ licence cost in 2026?
ADAFZ does not publish a current price list, so there is no official 2026 ADAFZ licence cost to quote [3]. The last official fee schedule we found, in the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism's zone profile from about 2021, lists annual licence fees of AED 8,000 for trading, services or light industrial, and AED 20,000 for general trading [4].
That profile is dated, and fees may have changed since. It is still the only fee table for ADAFZ we found on a government domain, so it is the right anchor for checking any quote.
| Fee line, MoET profile (about 2021) | Amount (AED) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Registration, branch | 2,750 | One-time; dated schedule, may be stale [4] |
| Registration, LLC with a corporate shareholder | 4,000 | One-time [4] |
| Registration, LLC with individual shareholders | 4,000 | One-time [4] |
| Annual licence, trading | 8,000 | Per year [4] |
| Annual licence, services | 8,000 | Per year [4] |
| Annual licence, light industrial | 8,000 | Per year [4] |
| Annual licence, general trading | 20,000 | Per year; the highest licence line [4] |
The figure you will see most often online is different. An "all-in" setup cost of AED 14,590 appears on emirabiz.com, businesssetuphq.com and uaefreezonefinder.com, and none of them names a primary source [14]. Treat it as an advertised consultancy figure, not an ADAFZ price. The itemised version is below, with the facility and renewal figures advertised by incorporate.ae [15].
| Cost item (advertised, not ADAFZ-published) | Amount (AED) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | 3,500 | Advertised by emirabiz.com, self-dated April 2026 [14] |
| Licence | 4,000 | Advertised; MoET's 2021 schedule shows AED 8,000 [4][14] |
| Flexi desk | 4,000 | Advertised; incorporate.ae advertises flexi desks from AED 5,000 a year [14][15] |
| Establishment card | 830 | Advertised [14] |
| System activation | 2,260 | Advertised [14] |
| Advertised total, no visa | 14,590 | Repeated on three consultancy sites with no primary source [14] |
| Visa fee | 1,500 | Advertised line; what it covers is not itemised [14] |
| Share capital | 25,000 | Advertised as capital that stays the company's asset, not a fee [14] |
| Deposit | 5,000 to 10,000 | Advertised: AED 5,000 for a flexi or executive desk, AED 10,000 for an executive office [15] |
| Warehouse | From 18,000 | Advertised starting figure [15] |
| Year two renewal | About 70% of setup | Advertised by incorporate.ae; ADAFZ publishes no renewal schedule [15] |
Two things stand out. The advertised licence line of AED 4,000 is half the AED 8,000 on the last government-hosted schedule, so either ADAFZ has changed its fees or the advertised bundle is built differently, and only ADAFZ can say which. And the AED 14,590 contains no complete visa cost, so it is a no-visa figure, whatever the page headline implies.
Pro Tip: Ask ADAFZ, or any agent quoting it, for five numbers in one email: the ADAFZ registration and licence fees on the zone's letterhead, the facility cost with its square metres, the visa count that facility supports, the cost per visa, and the year two renewal total. A quote that answers all five in writing is one you can compare.
For an itemised comparison of ADAFZ against zones with published or BD-transacted prices, get an itemised quote→
How does ADAFZ compare on price with Masdar City?
Masdar City is the Abu Dhabi zone with a price you can check: BusinessDubai.ae's 2026 price for Masdar City is AED 7,000 licence only, AED 17,500 with one visa and AED 23,350 with two, for up to five activities and five shareholders [19]. ADAFZ has no published equivalent on any visa basis.
Compare on a stated visa basis, or the comparison means nothing. The table sets BD's Masdar City prices beside the only ADAFZ figures available.
| Visa basis | Masdar City (BD's price) | ADAFZ |
|---|---|---|
| Licence only, no visa | AED 7,000 [19] | Advertised AED 14,590, consultancy figure [14] |
| One visa | AED 17,500 [19] | Not published |
| Two visas | AED 23,350 [19] | Not published |
| Designated Zone | Not listed [2] | Listed [1][2] |
Quick Math: On a no-visa basis, the advertised ADAFZ figure of AED 14,590 is AED 7,590 above BD's Masdar City price of AED 7,000 [14][19]. With one visa, Masdar City is AED 17,500 and ADAFZ has no comparable number. For a services founder that gap buys nothing on tax, since neither zone gives services a Designated Zone benefit. For an air-freight distributor, Masdar City cannot offer the Article 2(1)(l) route at any price.
If Abu Dhabi is your emirate but not your airport, our business setup in Abu Dhabi page compares the emirate's free zone, ADGM and mainland routes, and our Masdar City free zone guide covers that zone's packages. For a Designated Zone package BD does price, Ajman Free Zone, which is on the FTA's list [2], is AED 13,131 with one visa [19], and our business setup in Ajman page shows what that includes.
Which licence types and legal forms does ADAFZ offer?
ADAFZ offers three legal forms: a limited liability company with individual shareholders, a limited liability company with a corporate shareholder, and a branch of a foreign or local company [4]. Its fee schedule prices four licence lines: trading, services, light industrial and general trading, the last at the higher annual fee [4].
The Ministry of Economy and Tourism's profile groups ADAFZ activities into clusters rather than numbered codes [4]. VJM Global's 2026 guide describes the same structure as three licence categories, trading, service and light industrial [3]. We found no ADAFZ activity code register we could check, so ask the zone to name the exact activity on your licence before you pay.
| Licence line | Annual fee, MoET (about 2021) | Typical activities | Corporate tax angle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trading | AED 8,000 [4] | Buying and selling named goods, including aircraft parts | Distribution to resellers can qualify [10] |
| General trading | AED 20,000 [4] | A broad range of goods under one licence | Same distribution test applies [10] |
| Services | AED 8,000 [4] | Consultancy, marketing, ICT, events | Consultancy and marketing do not qualify [10] |
| Light industrial | AED 8,000 [4] | Assembly, aircraft interiors, maintenance and repair | Manufacturing and processing are on the MD 229 list [10] |
The official activity clusters are: aviation, aerospace, aircraft interiors and airport services; maintenance, repair and overhaul; logistics, transportation, warehousing, distribution and storage; marketing and events; manufacturing; technology and ICT; trading; service providers; management consultancy; and knowledge and development [4]. Aviation and logistics lead the list, which tells you who the zone was built for.
Common Mistake: Registering a logistics business under a trading licence, or invoicing as a buyer and seller when you only move other people's goods. Logistics services qualify only when you do not take title to the goods [10]. If your licence and invoices say you buy and sell, you are being assessed as a distributor, with the reseller test attached, not as a logistics provider.
Choosing a free zone at all is the first decision, and it changes your visa quota, your market access and your tax route. Our free zone company setup page prices each route by visa count, including the year two renewal the headline leaves out.
What facilities does ADAFZ offer at and around Zayed International Airport?
Abu Dhabi Airports describes five ADAFZ commercial districts: Logistics Park, Business Park, Destination Village, Al Falah District and Airport City [5]. It lists warehouse units of 360 square metres that combine up to 2,880 square metres under one roof, and a 60,400 square metre Southside cargo area connected to the airside [5].
Those figures come from Abu Dhabi Airports' own free zone pages as indexed by search engines. The pages block automated reading, so we could not re-read them directly, and every facility figure should be confirmed with ADAFZ before you plan a lease around it. Abu Dhabi Airports describes a portfolio of roughly 88 square kilometres across the three airports, while 2026 trade press puts it at about 90 million square metres [5][16].
| Facility | As described | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Warehouse units | 360 m² base unit, 15 m by 24 m, combinable to 2,880 m² (eight units) | Abu Dhabi Airports [5] |
| Southside cargo facilities | 60,400 m² with airside connection for air cargo and logistics | Abu Dhabi Airports [5] |
| Al Falah logistics hub | 8.3 million m², including an 800,000 m² Logistics Park | Trade press, MIITE 2026 [16] |
| Anchor logistics tenants | FedEx and DHL named at the Logistics Park | Trade press, MIITE 2026 [16] |
| East Midfield Cargo Terminal | About 90,000 m², targeting 1.5 million tonnes a year, full operations targeted for 2027 | Trade press on the groundbreaking [17] |
Read the last three rows as reported, not verified. They come from 2026 trade press coverage of the Make it in the Emirates event and the cargo terminal groundbreaking, which we could reach only through search summaries [16][17]. The same coverage reported memoranda with Abu Dhabi Food Hub and Wio at that event [16].
Real Talk: Advertised office rates show how much the address matters. One consultancy lists offices at AED 1,500 per square metre at the Zayed International site, AED 1,000 at Al Bateen and AED 650 at Al Ain [15]. If your business does not need airside access, the Al Ain district costs less than half the airport rate on those advertised figures, and our business setup in Al Ain page covers the city's other routes.
How many visas does an ADAFZ company get?
An ADAFZ visa allocation is tied to the size of the space you lease, not to the licence. ADAFZ publishes no ratio. Consultancy pages advertise one visa per 8 square metres of office or 16 square metres of warehouse, with two visas on a flexi desk and three on an executive office [15].
Those ratios are advertised, not zone-published, so confirm them in writing. The mechanism behind them is the important part: the space you lease for cost reasons silently sets the headcount you can sponsor, and adding visas later usually means a new lease rather than an amendment.
Common Mistake: Budgeting on the advertised AED 14,590 flexi-desk package and hiring afterwards. On the advertised ratios a flexi desk carries two visas [15]. A team of four in year one needs at least 32 square metres of office at one visa per 8 square metres, which is a different lease, a different deposit and a different quote. Count the month-twelve headcount, dependants included, before choosing the space.
Visa processing, renewals and dependants do not end at setup. Our post-setup services team handles the establishment card, visa renewals and the annual calendar after the licence is issued.
ADAFZ, KEZAD or Masdar City: which Abu Dhabi zone fits your business?
Choose on three variables: Designated Zone status, published pricing and sector fit. ADAFZ and KEZAD's Khalifa Industrial Zone and Khalifa Port free trade zone are on the Designated Zone annex; Masdar City is not [1][2]. KEZAD publishes a land tariff, BD prices Masdar City, and ADAFZ publishes nothing current.
KEZAD's land lease tariff, on a page last modified on 5 June 2026, prices serviced industrial plots at AED 32 to 38 per square metre a year [18]. Because KEZAD's tariff prices domestic and free zone plots side by side [18], a KEZAD plot's Designated Zone status should be confirmed plot by plot. Our best free zones for manufacturing guide covers KEZAD's tariff and plot rules in detail.
| Factor | ADAFZ | KEZAD | Masdar City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Designated Zone | Yes, named on the annex and the FTA list [1][2] | Khalifa Industrial Zone and Khalifa Port free trade zone named; confirm your plot [1] | Not on the list [2] |
| Published pricing | None current; last official schedule about 2021 [4] | Land tariff: AED 32 to 38 per m² a year for serviced industrial plots [18] | BD's price: AED 7,000, 17,500 and 23,350 for 0, 1 and 2 visas [19] |
| Built around | Zayed International, Al Bateen and Al Ain airports [5] | Khalifa Port and large industrial land | A sustainability and clean-tech campus |
| Distribution route to 0% | Available if goods enter through the zone and go to resellers [10] | Available on designated areas [10] | Not available [2][10] |
| Logistics route to 0% | Available [10] | Available [10] | Available; logistics needs no Designated Zone [10] |
| Best fit | Air cargo, aviation, maintenance and air-freight distribution | Manufacturing, heavy industry and sea freight | Clean tech, research, services and startups |
The decision usually settles on how your goods move. Air freight points to ADAFZ, sea freight and large plots to KEZAD, and a services company with no goods to Masdar City, where the price is known and the missing Designated Zone status costs a services business nothing.
Pro Tip: If you trade goods by sea and air, the Designated Zone list lets you use both. Goods moved unaltered between two listed zones, such as the Khalifa Port free trade zone and ADAFZ, under customs suspension stay outside the scope of VAT [8]. Ask both zones how they handle the transfer paperwork before you design the route.
Should an air-freight business choose ADAFZ or a Dubai airport zone?
Choose ADAFZ when your cargo lands at Zayed International and your buyers are in Abu Dhabi or beyond it. Choose a Dubai zone when your cargo lands in Dubai. DAFZA and ADAFZ are both on the FTA's Designated Zone list; for Dubai South the list names Dubai Aviation City rather than Dubai South [2].
The Dubai zones differ mainly on price visibility. BD sells Dubai South at AED 12,500 licence only and AED 21,050 with one visa [19], while DAFZA, like ADAFZ, publishes no price. Our Dubai South free zone guide covers that zone's Designated Zone naming question.
| Base | Airport | Designated Zone | Published or BD price | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADAFZ | Zayed International, Abu Dhabi [5] | Yes [2] | None; advertised AED 14,590 without a visa [14] | Air cargo into Abu Dhabi |
| DAFZA | Dubai International | Yes [2] | None | High-value air cargo into Dubai |
| Dubai South | Al Maktoum International | List names Dubai Aviation City; confirm your plot [2] | BD's price AED 12,500, or 21,050 with one visa [19] | Air and land logistics at a known price |
For the broader emirate choice, our Abu Dhabi vs Dubai business guide compares the two on cost, market and regulation. If you are building a freight or customs business rather than trading goods, our logistics company setup guide and freight forwarding vs customs broker guide explain the licence difference.
Can an ADAFZ company sell to the Abu Dhabi mainland?
An ADAFZ company can sell goods to mainland buyers, but the goods cross a customs line and become an import for VAT [9]. Operating on the mainland itself needs an Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development licence, either a separate mainland company or the dual licence route. ADAFZ's eligibility for the dual licence is not confirmed by name.
BD's Abu Dhabi dual licence guide describes the scheme ADDED introduced in 2018, which lets a free zone company operate on the mainland without a separate entity, and lists ADAFZ among the participating zones. That guide also notes that eligible activities are set by each zone's agreement with ADDED. We could not confirm ADAFZ by name on ADDED's own published material, so ask ADAFZ and ADDED in writing before you build a plan on it.
| Factor | ADAFZ company | Abu Dhabi mainland company |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing authority | ADAFZ [4] | ADDED |
| Published price | None; advertised AED 14,590 without a visa [14] | Quoted per activity; not priced here |
| Foreign ownership | 100% | 100% for most activities |
| Goods sold to a mainland buyer | An import; the buyer accounts for VAT [9] | A normal domestic supply |
| Route to 0% corporate tax | Distribution or logistics as a QFZP [10] | None; 0% to AED 375,000, 9% above [11] |
| Selling services to mainland clients | Allowed, but counts against de minimis for a QFZP [10] | Direct |
Mainland revenue matters for tax, not just licensing. Non-qualifying revenue from mainland services counts against the de minimis cap, so a QFZP building a mainland services line can lose the status [10]. Whether you run this from a free zone or the mainland changes your cost, your visa quota and your tax route, and our free zone company setup and mainland company setup pages itemise each route side by side.
How long does ADAFZ company setup take?
We found no processing time published by ADAFZ. Consultancy pages quote anything from three to five days to two to four weeks for the licence, and none cites the zone. Plan on the licence, then the establishment card, entry permit, medical test and Emirates ID in sequence, with attested foreign documents as the usual delay.
The order is fixed even when the day count is not. You reserve the name and choose the activity, submit shareholder passports and, for a branch, the parent company's legalised documents, sign the lease, and receive the licence. Visas follow the establishment card, one step at a time.
Common Mistake: Starting the parent company's attestation after the application opens. For a branch of a foreign company, the legalised parent documents, meaning the trade licence, board resolution and power of attorney, are the critical path, and nothing ADAFZ does can speed them up. Begin legalisation while you are still comparing zones.
Which banks open accounts for ADAFZ companies?
No bank-acceptance data specific to ADAFZ companies was found. Across UAE free zones generally, BusinessDubai.ae's 2026 pricing reference records WIO and Mashreq Neo as the accounts that open most readily for free zone companies [19]. Confirm directly with the bank before relying on either for an ADAFZ licence.
One ADAFZ-specific signal exists. Trade press reported a memorandum between ADAFZ and Wio at the Make it in the Emirates event in May 2026 [16], but the coverage did not say what it means for account opening, so treat it as a lead to ask about, not an approval route.
The zone does not open the account, the bank does, and there is no fully remote account opening in the UAE: the signatory has to be present and the bank has to understand the business. What decides the outcome is whether the licence activity matches the invoices, whether counterparties are named, and whether the source of funds holds up to questions. Our corporate bank account guide covers the file the bank expects.
What has to be filed every year to keep an ADAFZ company compliant?
An ADAFZ company must register for corporate tax, with an AED 10,000 penalty for registering late, file a corporate tax return each period, and register for VAT once taxable supplies pass AED 375,000 [13]. A company claiming QFZP status also needs audited financial statements every period [10].
Renewal is the line nobody can price in advance. ADAFZ publishes no renewal schedule; one consultancy advertises renewal at about 70% of setup costs [15]. Ask for the year two total in the same email as your year one quote, while you still have a choice of zone.
| Obligation | When | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate tax registration | On incorporation, within the FTA deadline | AED 10,000 penalty if late [13] |
| Corporate tax return | Every tax period | 0% to AED 375,000, 9% above, unless QFZP [11] |
| VAT registration | Once taxable supplies pass the threshold | Mandatory AED 375,000; voluntary AED 187,500 [13] |
| Audited financial statements | Every period, as a QFZP condition | Required at any revenue for a QFZP [10] |
| De minimis test | Every period, for a QFZP | Lower of 5% of revenue or AED 5,000,000 [10] |
| Licence and visa renewals | Annually | Not published by ADAFZ; advertised at about 70% of setup [15] |
Year two is when the licence stops being the founder's job and becomes someone's job: renewal, the tax return and visa renewals all fall within a few months. Our post-setup services team runs that calendar for free zone companies.
Who should choose ADAFZ, and who should not?
ADAFZ suits businesses whose goods arrive by air into Abu Dhabi and are sold to resellers, and operators who need airside access. It suits services firms, consumer sellers and founders looking for the cheapest Abu Dhabi licence poorly, because the zone's Designated Zone status gives them nothing and its price is unpublished.
| Your business | Fit for ADAFZ | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Air-freight distributor reselling to GCC traders | Strong | Designated Zone status plus the Article 2(1)(l) route, if goods enter through the zone and buyers resell [2][10] |
| Logistics or freight-forwarding operator | Good, for location | Logistics services qualify in any free zone; choose ADAFZ for the airport, not the tax [10] |
| Consultancy or services firm | Weak | Services get no Designated Zone benefit and consultancy is not qualifying; Masdar City at BD's AED 17,500 with one visa is priced [8][19] |
| E-commerce seller to consumers | Weak for tax | Transactions with natural persons are Excluded Activities under Article 2(2)(a) [10] |
| Light assembly | Possible | A light industrial licence exists at ADAFZ; manufacturing qualifies in any free zone, and KEZAD publishes land prices for larger plots [4][10][18] |
| Founder wanting the cheapest Abu Dhabi licence | Poor | No published ADAFZ price; BD's standard Masdar City package is AED 7,000 licence only [19], and our Abu Dhabi setup page lists a no-visa Masdar City Start Lite licence from about AED 3,500 |
If you are unsure which row you are in, the deciding question is who your customer is. A reseller or processor makes ADAFZ worth its premium; an end consumer or a services client does not.
Real Client Stories
These are composite examples built from the situations founders most often face when choosing Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone. Names and details are illustrative, and the only figures used are the published rules cited above and figures labelled as advertised.
The electronics distributor who nearly cleared on the mainland
Mariam imports phone accessories by air and resells them to traders in Oman and Saudi Arabia. She chose ADAFZ because it is on the Designated Zone list. Her freight agent planned to clear each shipment into the mainland at the airport and truck it to her unit, because the paperwork was simpler. That route would have failed Article 2(3)(l), since the goods would not enter the UAE through the Designated Zone. She moved clearance into the zone and had ADAFZ confirm in writing that her unit sat inside the customs-controlled area. Her buyers resell, so that revenue stays qualifying.
Lesson: for a distributor, the customs route decides the tax rate as much as the licence does.
The aviation consultant who wanted an airport address
Tomas advises airlines on safety compliance and wanted an ADAFZ address beside his clients. He assumed a Designated Zone meant no VAT and 0% corporate tax. Neither applied: Article 51 treats services supplied in a Designated Zone as supplied in the UAE, and consultancy is not a Qualifying Activity. Once he saw that the airport changed nothing on tax, he compared the advertised ADAFZ figure of AED 14,590 without a visa against BD's Masdar City price of AED 17,500 with one visa, chose Masdar City, and elected Small Business Relief on revenue under AED 3,000,000.
Lesson: a services firm should pay for an airport address only if the location itself earns money.
The freight forwarder who budgeted on a flexi desk
Rahul runs a freight-forwarding business that moves other companies' air cargo without ever taking title, so his logistics activity could qualify in any free zone. He chose ADAFZ for airside access rather than tax, and budgeted on the advertised AED 14,590 package with a flexi desk, which consultancy pages say carries two visas. His plan needed four staff in year one. On the advertised ratio of one visa per 8 square metres of office, that meant at least 32 square metres, a different lease, a larger deposit and a new quote.
Lesson: count the year-one visas before you choose the space, not after.
Your next steps on an ADAFZ company
Three decisions matter at ADAFZ, and price is the one you can settle last. Whether your goods arrive by air into Abu Dhabi, because that is what the airport premium buys. Whether you sell goods or services, because Designated Zone status is worth a great deal to the first and nothing to the second. And who your customer is, because distribution from a Designated Zone reaches 0% only when the buyer resells or processes the goods.
BusinessDubai.ae has completed 700+ company registrations across the UAE, with itemised pricing and no hidden fees. We will set an ADAFZ quote beside BD's priced zones through our free zone company setup service, check it against a mainland company setup if your customers are local, and compare the Abu Dhabi options on our business setup in Abu Dhabi page. After the licence, our post-setup services team runs the renewals, visas and tax calendar.
If you are weighing Abu Dhabi's financial free zone instead of an airport zone, our ADGM company setup guide covers that route, and our best free zones for trading guide compares the trading zones nationally.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone licence cost in 2026?
There is no official 2026 figure, because ADAFZ does not publish its pricing online. The last government-hosted schedule, from about 2021, lists annual licence fees of AED 8,000 for trading, services or light industrial and AED 20,000 for general trading, plus one-time registration of AED 2,750 to 4,000.
Does ADAFZ publish its fees?
No. ADAFZ does not publish current pricing online and gives quotes directly. The only fee table found on a government domain is the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism's zone profile from about 2021, so any 2026 figure you see is either that dated schedule or a consultancy's package price.
Where does the AED 14,590 ADAFZ setup figure come from?
It is an advertised consultancy figure, repeated on emirabiz.com, businesssetuphq.com and uaefreezonefinder.com, and none of them names a primary source. It breaks down as registration AED 3,500, licence AED 4,000, flexi desk AED 4,000, establishment card AED 830 and system activation AED 2,260, with no complete visa cost included.
Who owns Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone?
ADAFZ is a wholly owned subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Airports, the operator of the emirate's airports. It was established to own, operate, develop and manage free zone districts at Zayed International, Al Bateen Executive and Al Ain International airports.
Who issues an ADAFZ licence after Abu Dhabi's unified economic licence?
ADAFZ still issues it. The unified economic licence launched on 6 June 2024 gave licences from ADDED, KEZAD, ADAFZ, Masdar City and other bodies a standardised reference number in one Abu Dhabi registry. It changed numbering and registration, not the licensing authority.
Is ADAFZ the same as DAFZA?
No. ADAFZ is Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone, run by Abu Dhabi Airports at the capital's airports. DAFZA is Dubai Airport Free Zone beside Dubai International Airport, in a different emirate with a different regulator and fee structure. Both hold VAT Designated Zone status.
Is Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone part of the new Abu Dhabi defence free zone?
No. The Al Selmiyyah Defence Industrial Free Zone, announced in May 2026 by Tawazun Council and AD Ports Group, is a separate zone. The reporting on it states no relationship with ADAFZ or KEZAD.
Is Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone a Designated Zone for VAT?
Yes. It is named in the annex to Cabinet Decision No. 59 of 2017, effective 1 January 2018, and remains on the Federal Tax Authority's amended list with no end date. The other two Abu Dhabi entries are the Free Trade Zone of Khalifa Port and Khalifa Industrial Zone.
Do goods moving from ADAFZ to the Abu Dhabi mainland pay VAT?
Yes. Goods released from a Designated Zone to the mainland are an import, and the importer accounts for the 5% VAT. Goods moved unaltered from ADAFZ to another Designated Zone under customs suspension stay outside the scope of VAT.
Does Designated Zone status help an ADAFZ services company?
No. Article 51 of Cabinet Decision No. 52 of 2017 treats services supplied in a Designated Zone as supplied inside the UAE. An ADAFZ consultancy or IT firm charges 5% VAT exactly as a mainland business does.
Can an ADAFZ company be a Qualifying Free Zone Person?
Yes, if it carries on Qualifying Activities and meets every condition, including substance, audited financial statements and the de minimis test. For ADAFZ companies the two relevant activities are distribution of goods in or from a Designated Zone and logistics services under Ministerial Decision No. 229 of 2025.
Can an ADAFZ logistics company get 0% corporate tax?
Yes, on qualifying logistics income, if it meets the QFZP conditions. Logistics services under Article 2(1)(m) of Ministerial Decision No. 229 of 2025 cover storage and transport of goods for others without taking title, and carry no Designated Zone condition, so they qualify in any free zone.
Does the 51% revenue rule apply to distribution or logistics?
No. The 51% figure in Ministerial Decision No. 229 of 2025 sits in Article 2(3)(c), the definition of trading of qualifying commodities. It stops a company earning 51% or more of revenue from distribution, warehousing, logistics or inventory management from counting commodity trading as qualifying.
Can an ADAFZ company selling online to consumers get 0% tax?
Not on its consumer sales. Article 2(2)(a) of Ministerial Decision No. 229 of 2025 lists transactions with natural persons as Excluded Activities, so that revenue is non-qualifying and counts against the de minimis cap of the lower of 5% of revenue or AED 5,000,000.
What happens if an ADAFZ company fails a QFZP condition?
It is taxed at the ordinary rates, 0% on the first AED 375,000 of taxable income and 9% above, from the start of that tax period. It is also barred from QFZP status for the four tax periods that follow.
Can an ADAFZ consultancy use Small Business Relief?
Yes, if revenue is AED 3,000,000 or less and it is not claiming QFZP status. Ministerial Decision No. 131 of 2026 extended Small Business Relief to tax periods ending on or before 31 December 2029, and the relief is elected on each return.
Can a foreigner own 100% of an ADAFZ company?
Yes. ADAFZ offers limited liability companies with individual or corporate shareholders and branches of foreign or local companies, with no local partner required. On the Abu Dhabi mainland most activities also allow 100% foreign ownership, but the licence comes from ADDED instead.
What legal forms can you register at ADAFZ?
Three: a limited liability company with individual shareholders, a limited liability company with a corporate shareholder, and a branch of a foreign or local company. By 2021 the zone's register held 187 branches and 145 LLCs, according to the Ministry of Economy and Tourism.
What is the difference between a trading, service and light industrial licence at ADAFZ?
A trading licence covers buying and selling named goods, a service licence covers activities such as consultancy, marketing and ICT, and a light industrial licence covers assembly and repair work. On the circa-2021 schedule each cost AED 8,000 a year, with general trading at AED 20,000.
What activities are allowed in Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone?
The official clusters include aviation and airport services, maintenance and repair, logistics and warehousing, manufacturing, technology, trading, marketing and events, management consultancy and knowledge services. Aviation and logistics lead the list, and ADAFZ confirms the exact activity at application.
What share capital does an ADAFZ LLC need?
Consultancy pages advertise AED 25,000 of share capital for an ADAFZ LLC, described as remaining the company's own asset rather than a fee paid to the zone. ADAFZ's own rules document could not be read for this guide, so confirm the figure with the zone, including whether proof of deposit is required.
How many visas does an ADAFZ company get?
It depends on the space you lease, not the licence. ADAFZ publishes no ratio, but consultancy pages advertise one visa per 8 square metres of office or 16 square metres of warehouse, two visas on a flexi desk and three on an executive office.
Does ADAFZ require a physical office?
Advertised ADAFZ packages all include at least a flexi desk, and the facility you lease sets the visa allocation. Advertised flexi desks start from about AED 5,000 a year, and a growing team needs an office or warehouse sized to its headcount.
Does Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone have warehouses?
Yes. Abu Dhabi Airports describes warehouse units of 360 square metres that combine up to 2,880 square metres, and a 60,400 square metre Southside cargo area with airside connection. Consultancy pages advertise warehouses from about AED 18,000.
How many airports does ADAFZ operate at?
Three: Zayed International Airport, Al Bateen Executive Airport and Al Ain International Airport. Advertised office rates differ sharply between them, from about AED 1,500 per square metre at Zayed International to AED 650 at Al Ain.
What is the East Midfield Cargo Terminal?
It is a new cargo terminal at Zayed International Airport, reported by 2026 trade press as about 90,000 square metres and targeting 1.5 million tonnes of cargo a year, with full operations targeted for 2027. Treat those figures as reported rather than confirmed.
How long does ADAFZ company setup take?
ADAFZ publishes no processing time, and consultancy estimates run from three to five days to two to four weeks for the licence. Visas then follow in sequence, and attested foreign parent documents are the usual cause of delay for a branch.
What is the renewal cost for an ADAFZ licence?
ADAFZ publishes no renewal schedule. One consultancy advertises renewal at about 70% of setup costs, but that is not a zone figure. Ask for the itemised year two total, including facility, visas and licence, before paying for year one.
Can an ADAFZ company get an Abu Dhabi mainland licence too?
Possibly, through ADDED's dual licence route or a separate mainland company. BD's dual licence guide lists ADAFZ among participating zones, but ADAFZ has not been confirmed by name on ADDED's own published material, so confirm eligibility with ADAFZ and ADDED in writing.
Is ADAFZ better than KEZAD?
For air cargo, usually yes; for manufacturing and sea freight, usually no. ADAFZ sits at Zayed International Airport and is named on the Designated Zone list. KEZAD sits beside Khalifa Port, publishes serviced industrial land at AED 32 to 38 per square metre a year, and its designated areas must be confirmed plot by plot.
ADAFZ or Masdar City: which is better?
ADAFZ for goods distributors and logistics operators that need the airport or Designated Zone status; Masdar City for services, clean tech and startups. Masdar City is not a Designated Zone, but BD prices it at AED 7,000 licence only and AED 17,500 with one visa, while ADAFZ publishes no price.
References
[1] UAE Cabinet. Cabinet Decision No. 59 of 2017 on Designated Zones, issued 28 December 2017 and effective 1 January 2018 (unofficial translation, working copy): the Abu Dhabi entries, Free Trade Zone of Khalifa Port, Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone and Khalifa Industrial Zone. dhruvaconsultants.com
[2] Federal Tax Authority. List of Designated Zones as amended by Cabinet Decisions No. 35 of 2018, 43 of 2019, 34 of 2021, 63 of 2021 and 81 of 2021: Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone listed from 1 January 2018 with no end date, the RAK Airport Free Zone end date of 4 July 2019, and the zones not listed. tax.gov.ae
[3] VJM Global. Guide to Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone Business Setup, 16 July 2026: ADAFZ does not publish pricing online, the reported Emiri Decree No. 5 of 2006 and Companies Registration Regulations effective 1 October 2011, and the three licence categories. vjmglobal.com
[4] UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism. Abu Dhabi Airports Free Zone licensing-authority profile (file dated September 2021): establishment in 2012, company registrations 2012 to 2021, legal forms, activity clusters and the registration and annual licence fee table. moet.gov.ae
[5] Abu Dhabi Airports. Abu Dhabi Airports Free Zone page, as indexed in September 2026 (direct access blocked): the three airports, the five commercial districts, warehouse units, Southside cargo facilities and portfolio size. adairports.ae
[6] Abu Dhabi Media Office. Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, with the Abu Dhabi Free Zones Council, launches unified economic licence in the emirate, 6 June 2024: standardised reference numbers and one integrated registry across ADDED, KEZAD, ADAFZ, Masdar City and others. mediaoffice.abudhabi
[7] The National. New defence free zone in Abu Dhabi set to expand UAE industrial base, 6 May 2026: the Al Selmiyyah Defence Industrial Free Zone announced by Tawazun Council and AD Ports Group. thenationalnews.com
[8] Federal Tax Authority. Cabinet Decision No. 52 of 2017, VAT Executive Regulations, Article 51: conditions for Designated Zone status, loss of status, transfers between Designated Zones, goods consumed in a zone and the place of supply of services. tax.gov.ae
[9] Federal Tax Authority. Designated Zones VAT Guide, VATGDZ1: resale is not consumption, and goods released from a Designated Zone to the mainland are treated as an import accounted for by the importer. tax.gov.ae
[10] Ministry of Finance. Ministerial Decision No. 229 of 2025 on Qualifying Activities and Excluded Activities, issued 28 August 2025 and effective 1 June 2023: Article 2(1)(l) and 2(3)(l) distribution, 2(1)(m) and 2(3)(m) logistics services, 2(3)(c) commodity trading and the 51% condition, 2(2)(a) transactions with natural persons, Article 3 de minimis, Article 5 conditions and loss of status. mof.gov.ae
[11] Federal Tax Authority. Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022 on Corporate Tax: 0% to AED 375,000 and 9% above for an ordinary taxable person, the Qualifying Free Zone Person regime at Article 18, and loss of status from the start of the period at Article 18(2). tax.gov.ae
[12] Ministry of Finance. Ministerial Decision No. 73 of 2023 on Small Business Relief, as amended by Ministerial Decision No. 131 of 2026: revenue of AED 3,000,000 or less, tax periods ending on or before 31 December 2029, and Qualifying Free Zone Persons excluded. mof.gov.ae
[13] Federal Tax Authority. Corporate tax registration and the AED 10,000 late registration penalty, and VAT registration thresholds of AED 375,000 mandatory and AED 187,500 voluntary. tax.gov.ae
[14] Consultancy pages advertising ADAFZ setup costs, 2026: the AED 14,590 breakdown, licence, flexi desk, establishment card, system activation, visa fee and AED 25,000 share capital lines. Advertised figures with no primary source named. emirabiz.com, businesssetuphq.com and uaefreezonefinder.com
[15] incorporate.ae. ADAFZ Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone, 2026: advertised flexi desk, warehouse and per square metre office rates at the three airport sites, deposits, the renewal ratio and visa-per-square-metre allocations. Advertised figures, not zone-published. incorporate.ae
[16] Economy Middle East. MIITE 2026: Abu Dhabi Airports' commercial free zone arm inks MoUs, unlocking 90M sqm logistics powerhouse, May 2026: portfolio size, the Al Falah logistics hub and Logistics Park, FedEx and DHL as tenants, and memoranda with Abu Dhabi Food Hub and Wio. Read via search summary. economymiddleeast.com
[17] Zawya. Abu Dhabi Airports breaks ground on East Midfield Cargo Terminal, 2026: terminal size, targeted annual cargo capacity and the 2027 operations target. Read via search summary. zawya.com
[18] KEZAD Group. Land Lease Tariff, page modified 5 June 2026: serviced industrial plots in Abu Dhabi at AED 32 to 38 per square metre a year, with domestic and free zone plots priced side by side. kezadgroup.com
[19] BusinessDubai.ae. 2026 package pricing by visa count across eleven UAE free zones, including Masdar City at AED 7,000, 17,500 and 23,350 for zero, one and two visas, Dubai South and Ajman Free Zone, and the banks that open most readily for free zone companies. businessdubai.ae
