156.8 million passengers through the country’s airports in 2025, a growth of 6.1%

Dubai, 10 July / WAM / During the year 2025, the United Arab Emirates continued to consolidate its position as one of the most prominent global powers in the air transport sector, after the country’s airports recorded record performance, as data showed an increase in the total passenger traffic through the country’s airports to 156.8 million passengers during the year 2025, compared to 147.8 million passengers in 2024, with a growth rate of 6.1%, while the total aircraft traffic rose to 855.3. One thousand airline movements, with a growth of 6.8%, in a new confirmation of the country’s global leadership, the efficiency of its infrastructure, and its ability to keep pace with the rapid growth in international travel and trade.

These results, issued by the Federal Center for Competitiveness and Statistics, embody the success of the strategy pursued by the UAE to develop the aviation sector, through sustainable investment in airports, infrastructure and logistics services, which has strengthened the country’s position as a global center for air transport traffic, a main gateway linking the East to the West, and an essential engine for economic growth and sustainable development.

His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Civil Aviation Authority, stressed that the positive results achieved by the UAE aviation sector embody the success of the forward-looking vision of the wise leadership, which established a proactive approach to building an advanced and sustainable national aviation system, based on a world-class airport network and organizational and operational foundations that keep pace with the best international practices.

He said that these results reflect the effective contribution of this vital sector to the growth and competitiveness of the national economy, and consolidate the UAE’s position as one of the most important air transport centers linking the east of the world to the west and the north to the south.

His Excellency added that national efforts are continuing in cooperation with partners and stakeholders at the local and international levels to develop the best logistical infrastructure in the world, including airports, airlines and shipping lanes, qualifying national cadres, providing distinguished travel experiences for travelers and visitors, building effective international partnerships, and providing high-quality services in the sectors of transport, travel and logistics services, in line with the objectives of the “We Are the Emirates 2031” vision.

For her part, Her Excellency Hanan Mansour Ahli, Director of the Federal Center for Competitiveness and Statistics, confirmed that the air transport sector data reflects the efficiency of the national system that leads the growth of this vital sector, and highlights the ability of the UAE to transform data into a tool to support policies and decision-making and enhance the sustainability of economic growth.

She said that the center continues to develop the national statistical system and provide high-quality official data in accordance with international best practices, which supports measuring national performance, enhances the country’s presence in global competitiveness indicators, and provides an integrated knowledge base for decision-making and planning for the future.

Data from the Federal Center for Competitiveness and Statistics showed that the total passenger traffic through the country’s airports, which includes arrivals, departures and transits, increased during the year 2025 to 156.8 million passengers, compared to 147.8 million passengers in 2024, an increase of 9 million passengers and a growth rate of 6.1%. The total number of arrivals also increased to 44.2 million passengers, compared to 41.6 million passengers in 2017. 2024, with a growth rate of 6.1%, while the number of departures reached 43 million passengers, compared to 41.7 million passengers in 2024, with a growth rate of 3%, while the number of transits through the country’s airports recorded a growth of 8%, to reach 69.5 million passengers, compared to 64.3 million passengers in 2024.

According to data on passenger movement through the country’s airports by emirate, the number of passengers through Dubai airports increased to 104.5 million passengers during the year 2025, compared to 100.9 million passengers in 2024, with a growth rate of 3.5%, distributed between 30.2 million arrivals, 29.5 million departures, and 44.7 million passengers, and the number of passengers through Abu Dhabi airports reached 34.2 million passengers, compared to With 30.8 million passengers in 2024, a growth rate of 10.7%, distributed between 8.3 million arrivals, 7.9 million departures, and 17.9 million transiters.

The number of passengers through Sharjah International Airport increased during the year 2025 to reach 16.9 million passengers, compared to 15.2 million passengers in 2024, with a growth rate of 10.7%, distributed between 5 million arrivals, 5 million departures, and 6.8 million passengers. The number of passengers through Ras Al Khaimah Airport recorded a record growth during the year 2025, crossing the million mark compared to 639.3 thousand passengers in In 2024, with a growth rate of 56.8%, as traffic was distributed between 513.9 thousand arrivals, 451.4 thousand departures, and 37.5 thousand transits. Passenger traffic through Fujairah Airport during 2025 also jumped by 170% to reach 164.6 thousand passengers, compared to 61.1 thousand passengers in 2024, distributed among 90.2 thousand arrivals, 70.6 thousand departures and 3.7 thousand transits.

Statistics from the Federal Center for Competitiveness and Statistics indicated that the continued growth in air transport in the Emirates was not limited to the number of passengers only, but also extended to include aircraft movements, reaching 855.3 thousand aircraft movements arriving and departing and flights through other local airports, compared to 801 thousand movements in 2024, with a growth rate of 6.8%, which reflects the capacity of the country’s airports and their pivotal role as a gateway connecting the world.

Data from the country’s international airports showed an increase in the movement of incoming aircraft during the year 2025 to 414.3 thousand incoming movements, compared to 385.9 thousand in 2024, a growth rate of 7.3%, while the movement of departing aircraft increased, in contrast, to reach 414.1 thousand departure movements, compared to 385.8 thousand in 2024, with a growth rate of 7.3%.

The results achieved by the UAE reflect the country’s advanced global position in the most prominent indicators of competitiveness reports related to the aviation sector, as the UAE ranked first in the world in the “Quality of Air Transport” index, in the Global Competitiveness Yearbook Report for 2026 issued by the International Institute for Management Development, and in third place globally in the “Efficiency of Air Transport Services” index, which measures the efficiency of air transport services in terms of the regularity, speed, quality, frequency and competitiveness of its services, and the “number of available seat kilometers per week per million” index. Nesma”, which measures the capacity of the international flight network and the extent of the country’s connection to global air transport networks, and is ranked eighth globally in the “number of operating airlines” index, and tenth globally in the “number of air service agreements” index, which reflects the expansion of the network of international agreements that regulate air transport movement and enhance the country’s openness to global markets, within the 2024 Travel and Tourism Development Report issued by the World Economic Forum, and the country came in sixth place globally in the “air connectivity” index, within the economic readiness for the future index for the year 2017. 2023 issued by the Descartes Institute for the Future, which measures the extent of the UAE’s integration into the global air transport network through the strength of connectivity between its airports and various international destinations.

These results confirm the established position of the UAE as one of the most prominent air transport centers in the world, and reflect the integration of the national aviation system and the efficiency of its infrastructure, in addition to the role of official data and statistics in supporting the measurement of national performance and enhancing the country’s presence in global competitiveness indicators, in line with the goals of sustainable economic development and the country’s vision for the future.

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