UAE airports handled over one billion passengers in 10 years

Statistics from the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre revealed that the aviation sector in the UAE has recorded remarkable growth, with total passenger traffic through the country’s airports surpassing one billion between 2015 and 2024, while total aircraft movements exceeded 6.4 million.

The report, issued by the Centre, highlighted that the UAE ranked first globally in the air transport quality index and was placed among the world’s top ten in five other indicators.

This reflects the leadership’s forward-looking vision and directives to enhance the growth and competitiveness of this vital sector regionally and globally, making it a cornerstone of national economic sustainability.

Abdullah Bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), attributed the exceptional achievements of the civil aviation sector over the past decade to the success of national strategies and initiatives adopted under the leadership’s guidance. He noted that the sector continues to shape the future while delivering significant accomplishments.

He added that these outcomes reinforce the UAE’s standing on the global aviation and travel map, underlining the sector’s active role in driving national economic growth and competitiveness.

They also highlight the country’s pioneering model in building a more efficient and sustainable aviation system, integrating technological innovations with the highest standards of safety and service quality. According to the Centre’s data, passenger traffic across UAE airports rose from 114.8 million in 2015 to 147.8 million in 2024. Total passenger numbers, including arrivals, departures and transit travellers, exceeded one billion between 2015 and 2024.

Aircraft movements also grew, reaching more than 800,000 by the end of 2024, bringing the total number of arriving and departing flights during the decade to over 6.4 million. Meanwhile the civil aviation sector in the United Arab Emirates has recorded significant growth across key performance indicators during the first half of 2025, with passenger traffic, air cargo, and air traffic movements showing strong results that affirm the sector’s strength and ongoing development.

According to civil aviation sector performance indicators for H1 2025, airports across the UAE welcomed 75.4 million passengers during the first six months of the year, up from 71.7 million passengers during the same period in 2024, representing a 5 per cent increase.

January recorded the highest number of passengers, exceeding 13.7 million travellers.

UAE national carriers continued their global expansion during the first half of 2025, launching flights to 15 new destinations across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The new cities include destinations in Russia, Czech Republic, Poland, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Croatia, and Ethiopia — further cementing the UAE’s status as a leading global aviation hub.

On this occasion, Abdullah Bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, and Chairman of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), stated, “Thanks to the directives of our wise leadership, the UAE continues to enhance its global and regional standing as an international aviation hub, posting unprecedented growth rates driven by innovative national initiatives and strategies. This has significantly strengthened the country’s competitiveness and leadership in this vital sector, which today represents a key pillar for driving economic growth, diversifying income sources, and supporting trade, tourism, investment, and job creation across all aviation-linked sectors.”

WAM