UAE airports post 14% rise in passenger traffic

The UAE’s airports handled nearly 72 million passengers in the first half of 2024, a 14 percent increase from 63 million a year ago.

The breakdown includes 20 million arrivals, 21 million departures, and 30 million transit passengers, the UAE state-run Wam news agency reported

The General Civil Aviation Authority director-general Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi attributed the growth to the competitive performance and international reputation of UAE national carriers.

---

Newsletter
Get the Best of AGBI delivered straight to your inbox every week

---

He said that the airport regulator is actively collaborating with federal and local partners, as well as national carriers, to strengthen air transport relationships with existing markets and explore opportunities in new markets.

Air cargo traffic reached 2.2 million tonnes, comprising 528,430 tonnes of imports, 245,217 tonnes of exports, and 1.4 million tonnes of transit cargo. National carriers accounted for 68 percent of the total air cargo traffic.

Overall, air traffic movements totalled 499,789, reflecting a rise of 12 percent year on year. February recorded the highest growth in air traffic movements, with a 15 percent annual growth rate.

• John Grant: To churn or not to churn: why airlines drop routes
• Dubai and Jeddah dominate airport construction in Mena
• Etihad Airways carries 36% more passengers on a growing fleet

The GCAA has signed air transport agreements with over 90 percent of the world’s countries.

This month, Dubai Airports, the operator of the world’s busiest international hub, revised its annual passenger forecast for 2024, projecting a record 92 million passengers, up from the 91 million forecast in May this year.

Similarly, Abu Dhabi International Airport handled 10.3 million passengers in the first half, an increase of 67 percent compared with the same period a year ago.