Zayed International Airport handled 15.5 million passengers in first half of 2025

Abu Dhabi's main airport recorded 13.2% rise in footfall

Already this year, 16 new destinations have been added to Zayed International Airport's network. Shutterstock

Zayed International Airport handled 15.5 million travellers in the first half of 2025, up 13.2 per cent annually, driven by home carrier Etihad Airways' growth and the addition of new airlines serving Abu Dhabi.

Passenger traffic across Abu Dhabi's five airports grew 13.1 per cent year-on-year to 15.8 million in the January to June period, marking 17 consecutive quarters of growth, state-owned operator Abu Dhabi Airports said on Monday. The five airports are Zayed International, Al Ain International, Al Bateen Executive, Delma Island and Sir Bani Yas Island Airport.

"The first six months of this year have posed some operational challenges, yet our ... mid-year results demonstrate the resilience of our network and the collaborative partnerships that underpin our growth," said Elena Sorlini, managing director and chief executive at Abu Dhabi Airports.

The growth in airport traffic volume comes despite recent geopolitical tension in the Middle East. An Iranian strike on a US military base in neighbouring Qatar last month led to brief airspace closures in the Gulf.

The reported increase comes shortly after Wizz Air Abu Dhabi announced that from September it would no longer be operating from the emirate. In the first half of the year, 16 new destinations were added to Zayed International Airport's network. New airlines and routes include China Eastern Airlines’ Shanghai service, Air Seychelles’ six weekly flights and Syrian carrier Fly Cham’s flights to Damascus. IndiGo also expanded its presence at Zayed International, with new routes to Madurai, Bhubaneswar and Vishakhapatnam.

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi last week said it would increase operational capacity by 40 per cent in 2025 with the addition of four Airbus A320s to its fleet.

Zayed International Airport's traffic volume grew as home airline Etihad Airways carried more passengers and the emirate pushes to attract more international tourists.

During the first half of the year, Etihad Airways carried 10.2 million travellers, a 17 per cent annual rise. The average passenger load factor for the year to date stands at 87 per cent.

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The airline is also revising its growth targets upwards to carry 38 million passengers by 2030, from a previous goal of 33 million, Antonoaldo Neves, Etihad's chief executive, told The National this month.

The Abu Dhabi-based airline aims to expand by 15 per cent every year until the end of the decade as it carries more passengers, adds 20 planes annually and reaps the benefits of joint venture partnerships with Ethiopian Airlines and China Eastern, he said.

Abu Dhabi is pursuing a strategy of drawing more international tourists and business visitors as it adds more attractions to its skyline and Mice events (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions).

"As Abu Dhabi’s tourism and trade prospects rapidly advance, our airports are well positioned to support and scale that growth," Ms Sorlini said.