The United Arab Emirates’ aviation industry is renowned for its advanced infrastructure and global connectivity, through airports like Dubai International and Abu Dhabi International. Despite the
, aviation in the UAE has witnessed a strong recovery in passenger demand. With more than 280,000
, the nation is hoping to restore passenger confidence and maintain its position as a crucial global aviation hub.
UAE aviation hubs
Emirates Airlines, Etihad Airways, flydubai, and Air Arabia are the four main passenger airlines operating in the UAE. The
revenue of Emirates Airlines, its number of aircraft, and the impressive number of destinations covered make it the largest full-service airline in the country. The UAE has seven international airports, including Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) and Dubai International Airport (DXB). The total
number of passengers at Dubai International reached over 86 million in 2023, matching totals seen before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. This makes DXB one of the busiest and largest airports worldwide. Abu Dhabi developed partnerships to launch low-cost carriers such as Wizz Air Abu Dhabi and Air Arabia, the latter of which has seen rising popularity. Between 2011 and 2022,
Air Arabia’s fleet size more than doubled, and in 2023, the
revenue of Air Arabia reached nearly six billion Emirati dirhams.
UAE aviation outlook
Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai is one of many airport building and extension projects in which the UAE government has significantly invested. Currently, the
passenger traffic at Al Maktoum International Airport is only a portion of Dubai's total passenger traffic. However, when the first phase of the expansion opens in 2030, Al Maktoum International Airport is anticipated to be bigger than Dubai International Airport and eventually serve as the new base for Emirates Airlines. With this continued investment, and with airport expansions ongoing, the aviation industry in the United Arab Emirates is set to continue on its current growth trajectory in the coming years.
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