In Pictures: Zayed International Airport and its Terminal A puts Abu Dhabi on fastest track to 24 million visitors

Terminal A, the eagerly awaited addition to Abu Dhabi International Airport, has gone into full operational mode from November 1. This sets up Abu Dhabi nicely on the fast-track course to welcome 24 million visitors by year-end.

Covering 742,000 square meters of built-up, Terminal A is among the largest airport terminals anywhere in the world. It boasts the capability to accommodate up to 45 million passengers each year, a threefold increase compared to the 15.5 million recorded in 2022.

It will connect Abu Dhabi to 117 destinations. The Terminal A will also be able to process 11,000 travellers per hour and operate 79 aircraft at any given time.

Terminal A will cater to 28 airlines, including Etihad Airways, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, as well as 15 other international airlines.

On Tuesday, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, toured the facility.

In the first-half of 2023, passenger traffic at the now-renamed Zayed International Airport surged 67 per cent. This increase, driven by the airport’s route network expansion and addition of more airline customers, resulted in 10.2 million passengers passing through, a rise from the 6.2 million last year.

In 2022, Abu Dhabi welcomed 18 million visitors. Additionally, the emirate’s hotel occupancy rates reached 70 per cent, surpassing the wider Middle East average of 67 per cent. The airport expansion is expected to be a key driver of tourism growth and economic development.

The new official name - Zayed International Airport - will take effect on February 9, 2024, coinciding with the official opening ceremony of Terminal A.

Terminal A will feature multiple lounges, relaxation zones, and spa facilities. The new Terminal A will cover 35,000 square meters and house 163 retail concessionaires and F&B outlets. It will feature the world’s first Muji airport store.

Over 8,000 volunteers participated in the first phase of trials, completing a range of scenarios, including transiting through the terminal, disembarking the aircraft and passing through customs and immigration.