Amman Airport to Aqaba by Car: 3.5–4 Hours

Aqaba lies at the far south of Jordan, some 330 km from Amman by road, and the trip from Queen Alia takes about three and a half to four hours on the Desert Highway. The car finishes at the hotel or address you give in Aqaba city. The flight between the two airports is the quicker way through the air and is a separate choice from this ride.

Why four hours is the safe number

Route planners show a little over three and a half hours. Hotel pages describe about four on the Desert Highway and about five on the Kings’ Highway. The planners assume clear roads, and the hotels know that a rest stop and a slow stretch are part of any real trip. Four hours leaves room for both.

Where the road runs

South of Amman the road passes the junctions for Petra and Wadi Rum before it reaches the coast. Either place can become a stop if you put it in the request, and each one lengthens the day by the time you spend there. A drive with no stop goes straight to the hotel.

The flight, for comparison

The flight between Queen Alia and King Hussein International Airport lasts about 45 minutes to an hour in the air, and you still travel to the airport, check in, and cross Aqaba to your hotel at the other end. It is a different product from the ride described here, and it depends on a seat being free on your date.

Where to go next

To start the request, open the Queen Alia to Aqaba transfer page. For the desert on the same trip, read Amman airport to Wadi Rum and the Petra transfer.