Non-ticket holders can now shop and dine at Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport. The airport has launched “Shopping Pass” that allows UAE residents to access parts of the terminal only reserved for departing passengers.
The initiative, which runs for eight weeks, opens up the airport’s retail, dining and leisure spaces to non-travellers for the first time, offering what operators describe as a new kind of lifestyle experience in the capital.
How it works
Under the scheme, visitors must register in advance on the airport's website to receive a digital security pass with a QR code, which is scanned at checkpoints, shops and exit points. Entry is time-bound, and visitors are required to return their security badge before leaving.
Once inside, visitors can browse duty-free and luxury retail outlets, dine at a range of restaurants and cafes, and explore the airport’s design and architecture without the pressure of catching a flight.
Visitors can explore a mix of sit-down restaurants and curated dining concepts, including outlets by celebrity chef Todd English, as well as venues such as Jones the Grocer and Taste of India. Luxury brands at Abu Dhabi Duty Free include Cartier, Chanel and Hermes, alongside a selection of speciality boutiques.
There are, however, some restrictions. Visitors are not permitted to carry personal electronic devices such as laptops or tablets during their time inside, and purchases of tobacco and alcohol are not allowed without a valid boarding pass.
Parking incentives are also built into the experience. Visitors who spend at least Dh200 inside the airport can receive up to four hours of free parking, provided they validate their stay before exiting.
'Most beautiful airport'
Opened on February 9, 2024, Zayed International Airport was named in honour of UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. It was also named the most beautiful airport in the world at the annual Prix Versailles international architecture awards that year.
Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox architects, it's sculptural roof was inspired by the sand dunes of the desert, while its X shape divides the terminal into four piers, each themed around one of the city's natural elements – desert, sea, city and oasis. The layout also reduces the average walking distance between points for arriving and departing passengers, as well as for those transiting.
A 22-metre-tall installation in the arrivals hall is one of the airport's most striking features. Called Sana Al Nour, the piece is inspired by Islamic architecture used in traditional barjeel wind towers and is one of the largest public artworks in the Middle East. The vase-like structure hovers between the departures and arrivals areas and helps to filter daylight, playing an integral part in the airport's energy-saving airflow design by directing air and light to reduce the building's energy demand by 10 per cent.
The installation has a 30-metre diameter, weighs more than 100 tons and is made up of 1,632 glass panels that create a pearlescent glow. At night, it takes on another dimension thanks to white and coloured LED sources which reflect light up and down the structure.
Before leaving the airport, passengers will see The Shell, a sculptural feature created from glass, polished brass and steel. Inspired by Abu Dhabi's maritime heritage, this structure functions as both a piece of art and an orientation point.
While not entirely new, the Shopping Pass access at Zayed International remains relatively rare globally. A handful of airports in the US, including Seattle and Detroit, have introduced limited visitor pass programmes allowing non-travellers to enter secure areas, while popular hubs such as Singapore’s Changi offer extensive retail and leisure experiences on the public side of the terminal. Abu Dhabi’s move places it among a small, but growing number of airports rethinking their role, opening up spaces once reserved for passengers to a wider audience.
