The UAE’s civil aviation sector has demonstrated significant growth in the first half of 2025, with key indicators such as passenger traffic, air cargo volumes, and air traffic movements all showing notable increases. Airports across the nation welcomed 75.4 million passengers during this period, marking a 5% rise from the 71.7 million recorded in the same timeframe the previous year. January was the busiest month, with over 13.7 million travelers passing through UAE airports.
National carriers have been instrumental in this expansion, launching flights to 15 new destinations across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. This network expansion underscores the UAE’s strategic positioning as a global aviation hub. Additionally, air traffic movements saw a 6.2% increase, totaling 531,000 movements, while air cargo volumes surpassed 2.2 million tonnes, reflecting a 4.74% rise compared to the previous year.
Abu Dhabi Airports reported a 13.1% year-on-year increase in passenger traffic, welcoming over 15.8 million passengers in H1 2025. This growth was supported by 133,533 total flights across the five airports, representing a 9.2% rise from the same period last year. Zayed International Airport played a pivotal role, handling 93,858 aircraft movements, an 11.4% increase over H1 2024.
Etihad Airways, the UAE’s national carrier, is set to launch 27 new destinations by the end of 2025, marking a significant expansion of its global network. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to enhance Abu Dhabi’s status as a global travel hub and attract more long-haul passengers through its base.
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