Flights to Amman

From Queen Alia into Amman

The Airport Express bus runs to the north of the city, and taxis and ride-hailing cars take around 40 to 50 minutes to the centre, depending on traffic. If you're heading straight to the Dead Sea or south to Petra, the airport is already on the right side of the city, and a pre-booked driver saves time. The terminal has cash machines, mobile-phone shops for a local SIM card and a counter where you can buy a visa on arrival if you don't have the Jordan Pass.

Citadel, theatre and souks

The Citadel hill holds the Temple of Hercules, an Umayyad palace and the Jordan Archaeological Museum, with views across the city's hills. Below it, the Roman Theatre seats around 6,000 people and is still used for events. Downtown, the souks sell spices, gold and sweets, and Rainbow Street in Jabal Amman is lined with cafes. The King Abdullah I Mosque, with its blue mosaic dome, welcomes visitors outside prayer times.

Day trips from Amman

Jerash, one of the finest Roman sites in the Middle East, is about an hour north. Madaba's Byzantine mosaic map and Mount Nebo are around 40 minutes south-west, and the Dead Sea is an hour away. On the outskirts of the city, the Cave of the Seven Sleepers is linked by many Muslims to the story told in Surah Al-Kahf.

When to book

Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons for sightseeing. Amman sits around 800 metres above sea level, so summer evenings are pleasant but winter nights can be cold. Flights fill up around Eid and the school holidays, when many families travel. During Ramadan, many restaurants close in the daytime and the city comes alive after iftar.

Want to fly into Amman and home from Aqaba? Call 020 7871 4545 and we'll put both legs on one ticket.