The UAE aviation sector continued its record-breaking trajectory in 2025, with airports across Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah posting exceptional nine-month performance and strengthening the country’s position as a global travel hub.
Official data shows UAE airports handled 108.59m passengers by the end of September, with forecasts indicating that traffic will reach around 159m by year-end.
Abu Dhabi Airports recorded 24.29m passengers during the period, including 8.49m travellers between July 1 and September 30, 2025.
UAE airport traffic
The operator’s growth strategy has underpinned the strong results, supported by new route launches and expanded airline partnerships.
This included Jazeera Airways resuming flights to Abu Dhabi, reconnecting Zayed International Airport and Al Ain International Airport to Kuwait.
Several new carriers also joined the emirate’s network this year:
- China Eastern Airlines began daily flights to Shanghai
- Air Seychelles started operating six flights per week
- Ethiopian Airlines launched daily services to Addis Ababa
Dubai International (DXB) delivered another standout performance, handling 70.1m passengers in the first nine months of 2025.
The airport also set a new quarterly passenger record in its 65-year history during Q3 2025, welcoming 24.2m passengers — a 1.9 per cent increase year-on-year.
Dubai airport thriving
DXB’s twelve-month rolling traffic reached 93.8m guests at the end of September.
Sharjah International Airport continued to demonstrate strong momentum, handling 14.2m passengers over the same period.
The airport processed 5,127,120 passengers in Q3 2025, up from 4,392,000 in Q3 2024 — a 16.7 per cent increase.
Scheduled and unscheduled flights also grew to 30,737, compared to 27,758 last year, a 10.7 per cent rise.
With surging demand across all three major airports and expanded global connectivity, the UAE’s civil aviation sector is set to close 2025 with one of its strongest-ever performances, reinforcing its central role in the country’s economic growth.
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