DUBAI — For anyone who has ever fumbled for a parking ticket while trying to balance a passport, a coffee, and luggage, the latest announcement from Dubai International (DXB) will come as a relief. Dubai Airports and Salik have officially signed a 10-year agreement to bring seamless e-wallet parking payments to the airport, effectively ending the era of paper tickets and queuing at payment machines.
The deal was inked on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, with heavyweights from Dubai’s transport sector looking on. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, and His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of Salik, witnessed the signing. It’s a move that feels long overdue for a city obsessed with smart speed, integrating the ubiquitous Salik tag directly with airport barriers.
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Seamless Entry and Exit for 7,400 Parking Spaces
The real change here is for the drivers. When the system goes live on January 22, 2026, the DXB e-wallet parking payments integration will cover roughly 7,400 parking spaces.
We aren’t just talking about the VIP spots, either. The rollout hits the places people actually use:
- Terminal 1 (Arrivals/Departures)
- Terminal 2
- Terminal 3
- Cargo Mega Terminal
So, how does it actually work? It’s simple. Drivers won’t need to roll down the window to grab a ticket. The barrier cameras will read the plate or tag, and upon exit, the fee gets pulled straight from the user’s Salik e-wallet. It’s the same “beep-and-go” logic used on Sheikh Zayed Road, just applied to parking. This should shave valuable minutes off the airport run—crucial when traffic is tight, and a flight is boarding.
Leadership Perspectives on Smart Mobility
The paperwork was signed by Ibrahim Sultan Al Haddad, CEO of Salik, and Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports. Both were keen to frame this not just as a tech upgrade, but as a fix for a real pain point in the passenger journey.
“Our collaboration with Salik introduces a fast, reliable, and widely adopted digital payment option that simplifies parking,” said Paul Griffiths. He pointed out that with over 4.7 million vehicles in the UAE already active on Salik, the learning curve here is practically non-existent.
On the other side of the table, Ibrahim Sultan Al Haddad noted that this is part of a bigger picture for the toll gate operator.
“This agreement is fully aligned with our strategy to expand Salik’s role in smart and sustainable mobility,” he said.
Essentially, Salik is moving beyond just being a toll collector and becoming a broader digital wallet for UAE drivers.
Enhancing the Passenger Experience at DXB
Context matters here. DXB isn’t just busy; it’s record-breakingly busy. In the first nine months of 2025 alone, the airport handled 70.1 million guests. The third quarter saw 24.2 million passengers, making it the busiest three-month stretch in the hub’s history.
With that kind of volume, the car parks can often become bottlenecks. The introduction of Salik digital parking payments is clearly designed to keep cars moving. If you aren’t stuck paying at a machine in the lobby, you clear the exit lane faster.
That said, Dubai Airports was careful to clarify one thing: cash and cards aren’t vanishing overnight. Alternative payment methods will still be there for visitors who might not have a Salik tag or whose account is low on funds. But for the vast majority of residents, the tag on the windshield is now the credit card for parking.
Conclusion
This 10-year deal for Salik e-wallet parking at DXB feels like the final piece of the puzzle for local transport. It turns the airport run into a truly cashless experience, removing one of the last bits of friction left in the process. For residents heading to DXB after January 22, the advice is simple: check your Salik balance before you leave the house, and drive right through.
