Wire-arc directed energy deposition (WA-DED) has emerged as a pivotal method in metal 3D printing, offering notable advantages in terms of deposition speed, cost efficiency, and suitability for manufacturing large and intricate metal parts. Aluminum alloys are commonly utilized in various industrial sectors such as aerospace, shipbuilding, and automotive industries due to their beneficial properties like lightweight, corrosion resistance, formability, and machinability. However, fabricating large-scale aluminum components using conventional manufacturing techniques presents numerous challenges, especially regarding complicated part geometries and a high buy-to-fly (BTF) ratio. Consequently, due to its relatively good quality, low manufacturing cost, and high efficiency, WA-DED has gained popularity for producing near-net-shape and huge-scale aluminum alloy products in recent years. This study comprehensively reviews the 3D metallic printing of aluminum alloys using WA-DED and extensively addresses the associated challenges. These challenges include achieving a homogeneous microstructure, mitigating solidification cracking, managing porosity, addressing residual stress, and minimizing distortion. Additionally, post-treatments such as interpass rolling, heat treatment, interpass cooling, and peening of WA-DED aluminum alloys have been discussed.