By a large margin…the Dubai Airshow surpasses the British “Farnborough”

In its 19th session, which concluded its activities recently, the Dubai Airshow surpassed the British Farnborough Show, one of the oldest aviation exhibitions in the world, which was launched in 1948, after the global event in Dubai set unprecedented records in the volume of deals, international participation and numbers of visitors, which established its position as the largest and most prominent platform for the aviation and space industry.

Deals and presence

The Dubai Airshow achieved huge deals exceeding $202 billion (about 741.74 billion dirhams), far ahead of the last edition of Farnborough 2024, whose deals value amounted to only $105 billion (about 385.56 billion dirhams).

The Dubai Airshow activities attracted a record attendance of 248,788 visitors, including experts, specialists and decision-makers, compared to only more than 100,000 visitors received by its counterpart, Farnborough. This is according to data, a copy of which was reviewed by Emirates Today.

The event in Dubai witnessed the participation of 1,500 exhibitors from various countries around the world, including 440 entities participating for the first time, in addition to 490 military and civilian delegations from 115 countries, 21 national pavilions, 120 emerging companies and 50 investors.

The static display area also included 200 aircraft, with an additional expansion of the display area to 8,000 square metres.

On the other hand, Farnborough 2024 recorded similar participation in terms of the number of exhibitors, with 1,500 exhibitors, but it received only 390 delegations and included 90 aircraft on the show floor, despite recording remarkable growth compared to its previous editions.

center of gravity

The big difference between the results of the two exhibitions reflects the shift of the center of gravity in the aviation industry towards the region, as Dubai continues to consolidate its position as a global platform where major manufacturers, technology and space companies gather.

The 19th session of the Dubai Airshow 2025 recorded an exceptional achievement that reaffirmed Dubai’s position as a global capital for the aviation and space industry, after the value of announced deals jumped by a growth rate of 100%, double what the 18th session achieved in 2023, which closed at $101 billion. This remarkable growth in the volume of deals reflects the growing international confidence in Dubai as a pivotal platform in which the future of global aviation is shaped.

The growth did not stop at the financial numbers, but rather continued with the volume of participation and visitors, as the 19th session witnessed the highest participation in the history of the exhibition from visitors, experts, decision-makers and specialists, compared to 135 thousand visitors in the previous session, which means an increase rate of more than 84% in the number of visitors.

Taken together, these indicators highlight the growing growth in the exhibition’s role as a platform that attracts major manufacturers, defense entities, and global aerospace companies, at a time when the sector is witnessing rapid technological transformations and a global trend towards innovation and sustainability. With this upward momentum, the Dubai Air Show consolidates its position as one of the most important and largest specialized international gatherings, and one of the most prominent tributaries of the global aviation industry.

“The future starts from here”

Under the slogan “The future starts from here,” the exhibition continued to play its role as an international platform that brought together sector leaders to explore the next generation of civil and military aviation technologies, and to support strategic decision-making for the future. It also confirmed its position as a global forum for investment and advanced technologies, and a focal point for concluding qualitative partnerships that enhance the process of innovation.

The activities of the 19th session covered the latest trends and innovations in the aviation and space sectors, including the development of the largest global airports and a review of new revolutionary technologies, confirming the exhibition’s role as a major event that contributes to shaping the future of the global aviation industry.

Leadership role

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Supreme Chairman and CEO of Emirates Airline and the Group, said: “(Dubai Airshow 2025) brought together throughout its activities an elite group of the most prominent decision makers and pioneers of the aviation, space and defense sectors from around the world, to contribute to shaping the features of the next stage of the industry’s development, in a way that embodies the pioneering role of the UAE in driving innovation and setting sector trends globally.”

His Highness added in a blog post on the “X” platform: “Sincere thanks and appreciation to the Supreme Organizing Committee of the Dubai Air Show, and to all the teams that stood behind this event, as their commitment and continuous efforts resulted in organizing a pioneering edition that established the exhibition’s position as a global platform influential in the future of the aviation industry.”

. The 19th session of the exhibition witnessed the highest participation in the history of Dubai Airways from visitors and experts.

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