Abu Dhabi Airports reported a 13.1 per cent year-on-year increase in passenger traffic in the first half of 2025, with more than 15.8 million passengers passing through its five airports between January 1 and June 30.
Zayed International Airport (AUH) accounted for the majority of this traffic, handling 15.5 million passengers during the period, marking a 13.2 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024.
Aircraft movements also rose across the airport network, with a total of 133,533 flights in H1 2025, up 9.2 per cent year-on-year, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) said in a statement.
Abu Dhabi Airports records over 300,000 cargo movements in H1 2025
AUH recorded 93,858 aircraft movements, up 11.4 per cent from the 84,286 flights it handled in H1 2024.
The operator said the rise in passenger and flight volumes was driven by the addition of 16 new destinations and new airline partnerships in the first six months of 2025.
Notable route additions included China Eastern Airlines’ four-times-weekly service to Shanghai, which will become a daily service in September, and Air Seychelles’ six weekly flights.
Fly Cham launched a route to Damascus, while IndiGo expanded its operations at AUH with new flights to Madurai, Bhubaneswar, and Vishakhapatnam.
Elena Sorlini, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at Abu Dhabi Airports, said: “Consistently delivering positive growth for the past 17 quarters is testament to the dedication and collective effort of the entire Abu Dhabi Airports team. It reflects our operational agility and commitment to delivering an exceptional aviation experience and attracting international investors.”
Abu Dhabi Airports also reported growth in cargo volumes. In the first half of 2025, it handled 344,795 tonnes of cargo.
The increase was supported by new partnerships and infrastructure improvements, including a joint venture agreement with JD Property, the infrastructure arm of Chinese e-commerce company JD.com.
The agreement includes the development of a 70,000-square-metre facility to serve east-west e-commerce and specialised cargo logistics demand across the GCC and MENA region.
The first half of the year also saw progress on several infrastructure projects. Sir Bani Yas Airport completed rehabilitation works, aimed at supporting eco-tourism growth in Al Dhafra.
AUH received a 3 Pearl Estidama rating for construction and was named ‘Best Airport at Arrivals Globally’ for the third year in a row at the ACI ASQ Awards.
At Al Bateen Executive Airport, Abu Dhabi Airports and Bombardier continued work on a dedicated service facility, expanding the emirate’s maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capacity.
Abu Dhabi Airports also signed a memorandum of understanding with TAQA Distribution to explore the use of next-generation utility technologies across its airports, aligning with the group’s long-term plans for sustainable development and innovation.
