Abu Dhabi Airports sees 13.1% rise in passenger growth

Abu Dhabi Airports has reported a strong 13.1% increase in passenger traffic for the first half of 2025, facilitating 15.8 million travellers across its five commercial airports. 

This marks the operator’s 17th consecutive quarter of double-digit growth, an increase largely fuelled by the continued expansion of Etihad Airways, as well as new airlines operating in the UAE capital. 

The city’s main airport, Zayed International (AUH), played an outsized role in the passenger surge, seeing 15.5 million passengers in the first half, up 13.2% year-on-year. 

The airport’s main tenant, Etihad Airways, posted a 30% surge in profits to a record AED686 million for the first quarter of 2025, while lifting passenger numbers past five million, up 16% compared to a year earlier. The airline has also announced 27 new routes in the last six months.

The positive momentum comes despite disruptions caused by recent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East that affected airspace and led to widespread delays.