Abu Dhabi Airports, the operator of the five airports in the emirate including Zayed International Airport, witnessed over 33 million travelers in 2025, marking the highest annual passenger volume in the emirate’s history. This remarkable performance underscores a doubling of traffic at the emirate’s airports over the last three years, with Zayed International Airport emerging as the fastest-growing major airport in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, according to the latest global air traffic data.
The surpassing of all previous records can be attributed to the continuous expansion of the international destination network, which saw airlines introducing new locations and increasing flights on high-demand routes. Additionally, air connectivity was enhanced across key markets in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. As part of this initiative, Zayed International Airport launched 39 new routes and welcomed 7 new airlines. In its second full operational year, the airport accounted for 98% of total passenger traffic and 73% of air traffic, facilitating 8.59 million passengers in the last quarter of 2025, reflecting a 13.8% increase year-on-year.
This unprecedented growth was supported by the expansion of destination networks, with airlines such as China Eastern Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Eurowings, and Jazeera Airways, in addition to Etihad Airways, launching or enhancing services to major international destinations. The year witnessed the addition of significant hubs such as Addis Ababa, Atlanta, and Hong Kong, along with emerging markets including Berlin, Hanoi, Pune, and Warsaw.
Moreover, Zayed International Airport experienced several days during the year where daily passenger traffic exceeded 100,000, a key indicator of operational efficiency and the success of major airports. This reinforces the airport’s position as a preferred hub for both direct and connecting travel.
Ahmad Juma Al Shamisi, the acting CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports, stated that surpassing 33 million travelers is a remarkable achievement for the team. It also signals our operational readiness to meet the rising global demand. This performance is the result of dedicated efforts across various levels in Abu Dhabi Airports to fulfill the strategic objectives set by our leadership. We will continue to focus on maintaining this momentum through operational excellence and ongoing investment in our cargo and logistics capabilities, thus contributing to providing advanced infrastructure and high-quality service to support Abu Dhabi’s continuous growth as a global aviation hub.
The year 2025 also marked several significant milestones for Abu Dhabi Airports, including the 19th consecutive quarter of double-digit growth in passenger numbers and the first time the total annual traffic across all five airports exceeded 30 million travelers. These results reflect a consistent upward trajectory over several years, driven by network expansion, strengthened partnerships with airlines, and ongoing investment in capacity and passenger experience.
Other airports in Abu Dhabi, such as Al Bateen Executive Airport and Al Ain International Airport, also recorded growth in traffic. Air traffic at Al Bateen increased by 15.3% in the last quarter of 2025 compared to the same period the previous year, and 7% year-on-year. In contrast, Al Ain International Airport experienced significant growth in passenger numbers, up by 48.1% compared to the last quarter of 2024, and 9.2% year-over-year.
Air cargo volumes at Abu Dhabi’s airports showed notable growth throughout 2025, handling nearly 770,000 tons of cargo across the five airports, representing a 12% year-on-year increase, which highlights the growing attractiveness of trade routes offered by the emirate.
Last year also featured several additional accomplishments, including winning the “Best Airport for Shopping Experience” at the Frontier Awards 2025, alongside receiving special recognition at the 2025 Aviation Business Awards. Zayed International Airport also achieved Level 2 accreditation for improved accessibility from the Airports Council International, as well as Level 3 certification for passenger experience, in addition to awards recognizing advanced technology systems and passenger experience initiatives.