Abu Dhabi Airports Welcomed 22.4 Million Passengers in 2023: SCAD

Friday, 5 July 2024

ABU DHABI: Approximately 22.4 million passengers passed through Abu Dhabi’s airports in 2023, a notable rise in airport activity over earlier years.

About 11.1 million arrivals and 11.3 million departures were recorded at Abu Dhabi’s airports in 2023, according to the Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi (SCAD) Key Transport Statistics 2023 report. Of note, with around 3.2 million arrivals by year’s end, the Indian subcontinent was the most popular tourist destination. East Asia had 822,777 arrivals, GCC countries had about 1.6 million, and Western Europe had 1.9 million. Asia had 1.7 million arrivals.

Strengthening travel and economic relations, the Indian subcontinent led the way in terms of departures, with approximately 3.5 million people leaving Abu Dhabi. After that, South America accounted for 1.9 million departures, Asia 1.7 million, and the GCC countries 1.6 million.

These figures include 1,763 passengers using Al Ain International Airport and 1,011 using Zayed International Airport in 2023, out of 51,067 arrivals and 43,945 departures. Further supporting the region’s all-encompassing approach to air travel management was data from Al Bateen Executive Airport, which Abu Dhabi Airports included.

With a 27.8% increase in flights over 2022, the year also witnessed a noteworthy increase in aircraft traffic. Eight,409 flights were handled by Al Ain International Airport last year, up from 7,598; 141,225 flights were handled by Zayed International Airport, up from 110,536 the year before. Additionally, there was an increase in cargo traffic. Of the 238,644 tonnes of cargo exported, Western Europe accounted for the majority (98,089 tonnes) with 319,993 tonnes coming in, mostly from Asia.

A thorough assessment of the aviation landscape in the region was provided by Abu Dhabi Airports, which emphasized the inclusive nature of their data collection process that included insights from other airports. Abu Dhabi’s standing as a major aviation hub is cemented by this increase in both passenger and freight traffic, which contributes to economic growth and improves travel and cultural exchange opportunities.

The surge of tourists from the Indian subcontinent in 2023, taken as a whole, strengthened Abu Dhabi’s position as a vibrant international hub that promotes cross-cultural and cross-continental contacts and travel.