22 July 2025

Abu Dhabi Airports Welcome 15.8 Million Passengers in H1 2025 — What It Means for Real Estate

Table of content

Air traffic in Abu Dhabi continues its steady growth. In the first half of 2025, 15.8 million passengers passed through the emirate’s airports — a 13.1% increase compared to the same period last year. The majority of this traffic came through Zayed International Airport (AUH), which handled 15.5 million passengers, up 13.2% year-on-year.

A New Wave of Routes and Flight Growth

Abu Dhabi’s airport network recorded 133,533 flights in total — a 9.2% rise. AUH alone saw 93,858 aircraft movements, an 11.4% increase over the previous year.

New and expanded routes contributed to this growth, including:

  1. Shanghai – China Eastern Airlines (daily service starting September)

  2. Seychelles – Air Seychelles (6 flights per week)

  3. Damascus – Fly Cham

  4. Madurai, Bhubaneswar, Vishakhapatnam – IndiGo

Cargo Expansion, Infrastructure Projects, and Global Partnerships

Cargo operations also saw significant growth, with 344,795 tonnes handled in H1 2025. A major factor was the joint venture with JD Property (a subsidiary of China’s JD.com) to develop a 70,000-square-meter logistics hub serving the MENA region.

Key infrastructure updates include:

  1. Completion of renovation works at Sir Bani Yas Airport to support eco-tourism

  2. Expansion of maintenance operations at Al Bateen Executive Airport with Bombardier

  3. Zayed International Airport received a 3 Pearl Estidama sustainability rating and was named Best Airport for Arrivals Worldwide (ACI ASQ Awards, third consecutive year)

  4. A new memorandum of understanding signed with TAQA to explore the use of next-generation sustainable utilities

What This Means for Real Estate Investors in Abu Dhabi

This surge in passenger and cargo traffic, along with major infrastructure investment, is more than just positive statistics — it signals strong fundamentals for real estate growth:

  1. Increasing tourist and expat arrivals boost rental demand

  2. Infrastructure development drives long-term capital appreciation

  3. Cargo and logistics growth increases demand for commercial and warehouse assets

  4. Sustainable innovation supports ESG-aligned investment strategies

Invest in the Growth with SPI Dubai

Abu Dhabi is quickly becoming a central hub for global travel, logistics, and business. And now is the ideal time to invest.

SPI Dubai will help you:

  1. Identify high-return real estate opportunities

  2. Select liquid residential properties for rental income or resale

  3. Access commercial and logistics investment options

Submit your request today, and we’ll prepare a tailored selection of investment-ready properties in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

SPI Dubai — Invest smart, safe, and with growth.