Abu Dhabi Airports reports record growth in passengers and cargo for Q3 2026

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Airports welcomed 8.61 million passengers in the third quarter of 2026. That is 1.4 per cent more than in the same period last year, and above the operator’s own September target. The biggest jump came in cargo, where volumes rose by more than 11 per cent.

“Abu Dhabi Airports is not merely responding to demand; we are actively compounding the natural advantages of our location,” CEO Ahmed Juma Al Shamisi said.

Cargo is the big story

Cargo across the network reached 225,298 tonnes, up 11.4 per cent from last year. Dedicated freighter cargo alone jumped 28.2 per cent.

There was also more traffic in the air. Zayed International Airport recorded 49,427 aircraft movements, up 0.7 per cent, while the whole airport network saw 69,615 movements, an increase of 3.8 per cent.

Zayed International Airport, the main hub, handled 8.45 million of the passengers, a year-on-year increase of 1.2 per cent.

More destinations

The growth is largely down to new routes and expanded partnerships. Condor, Royal Jordanian, Air India Express and Oman Air have all increased their cooperation with the airports. In addition, home carriers Etihad Airways and Air Arabia Abu Dhabi have launched new routes.

As a result, Zayed International now serves 124 destinations, up from 112 a year ago.

A busy summer

Through the summer peak, the airport averaged 94,000 passengers a day. In September, the 100,000 mark was passed several times.

India remains the largest source of passengers, with more than 671,000 travellers in September alone.

Over the past 12 months, passenger numbers have reached 30.2 million. According to the operator, that keeps it on course to build on a record-setting 2025.

Renamed airport sees sharp rise

Tahnoun International Airport (AAN) was recently renamed in honour of the late Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan. The renaming comes during a period of strong growth. In the third quarter, aircraft movements there rose 17.1 per cent and cargo volumes by 63 per cent.

Ahmed Juma Al Shamisi credits the results to cooperation across the emirate.

“Our recent performance demonstrates what is possible when an entire emirate operates with a single, synchronised vision,” he said.

“By removing friction and expanding capacity alongside our airline partners, we ensure that every new route added directly amplifies Abu Dhabi’s global economic footprint, delivering an unmatched experience for our passengers while reinforcing our position as an indispensable gateway for global trade and tourism.”

The operator points to Abu Dhabi’s location as a key selling point: the city is an eight-hour flight from 80 per cent of the world’s population.