Heathrow and Dubai International are two of the busiest airports in the world, and both are sold by the same media owner. They are still very different to buy. This post sets out what has been published about each, in the currency and billing period each market uses, so you can compare like with like where that is possible and see where it is not.
The two airports at a glance
| London Heathrow (LHR) | Dubai International (DXB) | |
|---|---|---|
| Passengers, 2025 | 84.4 million, up 0.7% (Moodie Davitt Report, 12 January 2026) | 95.2 million, up 3.1% (Dubai Media Office, 11 February 2026) |
| Media owner | JCDecaux. A new eight-year term runs from 1 January 2027 (Moodie Davitt Report, 30 June 2026) | JCDecaux, with its contract extended to 2028 (CampaignME, 14 October 2018) |
| Currency and tax | GBP | AED, plus 5% UAE VAT |
Dubai's 2026 traffic is below 2025 after the February 2026 suspension of flights, so plan on current monthly traffic, not the 2025 total. The Dubai airport page tracks the latest figures with their sources.
Published rates side by side
Rates below are the indicative 2026 benchmarks published on each airport page. They are not converted, and the billing periods differ, so read each row as its own market.
| Format | Heathrow | Dubai |
|---|---|---|
| Static lightbox | GBP 1,500–5,000 / 2 weeks | From AED 30,000 / month |
| Standard digital screens | GBP 2,000–6,000 / 2 weeks | AED 180,000–275,000 / campaign |
| Large-format digital or spectacular | GBP 15,000–50,000+ / 2 weeks | From AED 500,000 / campaign |
| Terminal-wide takeover | GBP 50,000–150,000+ / 2 weeks | From AED 1,000,000 / campaign (atrium and iconic sites) |
Two things make a direct comparison misleading. Heathrow is quoted per two weeks and Dubai per month or per campaign. And neither media owner publishes a rate card, so these are benchmarks to be confirmed for your dates.
Sites that have been published
Heathrow. The media owner describes over 680 digital screens at the airport. Published specs include the seven LED displays of Towers@T5, each 14 m wide by 7 m high (Heathrow media centre, 29 April 2015), and the two-screen Motion Showcase at Terminal 3 baggage reclaim, 6.9 m by 2.3 m each (Moodie Davitt Report, 6 January 2017). These are older figures, so confirm what is current before you book.
Dubai. The Wave is an 87 sq m curved screen in the Terminal 3 arrivals hall (Moodie Davitt Report, 10 November 2020). The Grand Wall Wrap at the main Terminal 3 arrivals exit spans nearly 340 sq m (Communicate, 2 July 2026).
What this means for a plan
- Arrivals matter in both. Dubai's flagship sites sit in the Terminal 3 arrivals hall and exit. Heathrow's baggage reclaim sites reach arriving passengers while they wait.
- Budget in the local currency. A Heathrow plan is built in pounds over weeks. A Dubai plan is built in dirhams over a month or a campaign, with VAT on top.
- Approvals differ. Dubai artwork needs the media owner's approval, plus other approvals for some categories, as set out in our guide to Dubai airport advertising rules.
- Ask for the same line items. Media cost, production, installation and tax, in the same layout, so the two quotes can sit next to each other.
Plan both airports
See the full pages for London Heathrow and Dubai, or look at one format in both: digital screens at Heathrow and digital screens at Dubai. For prices in more countries, see airport advertising cost by country. To get both airports quoted in one plan, share your brief.
Last reviewed 2 November 2026.
