As part of its commitment to transparency and providing comprehensive analytical insights into the civil aviation sector, the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is launching a new series of reports titled “A Closer Look: Civil Aviation in the UAE.”
The series aims to highlight key milestones, challenges, and future opportunities based on official data and operational experience. It also provides insight into the UAE’s strategic approach to establishing itself as a global aviation hub, shaping both the current landscape and the future of civil aviation.
Civil aviation has been a cornerstone of the UAE’s rapid development, driving economic growth and enhancing the nation’s global influence. The sector is supported by robust infrastructure, including high-capacity international airports, advanced air navigation systems, and a flexible, modern airspace design. Beyond physical infrastructure, the ecosystem encompasses aircraft manufacturing and assembly facilities, sustainable aviation fuel producers, specialized service providers, and advanced logistics capabilities—all critical to the sector’s efficiency and resilience.
This integrated system is designed not only to meet current demands but also to embrace the future of aviation, integrating cutting-edge technologies such as advanced air mobility and autonomous aircraft systems.
From its modest beginnings as a refueling stopover in Sharjah during the 1930s for flights between Britain and India, the UAE’s civil aviation journey took a major leap in 1960 with the establishment of Dubai Airport, the nation’s first airport still in operation today. Initially equipped with a compacted sand runway and a small terminal building, the airport has continuously developed, joining the Airports Council International in the 1980s and becoming the UAE’s first international airport.
Simultaneously, the UAE expanded its aviation infrastructure across the country, including the establishment of Abu Dhabi International Airport (renamed Zayed International Airport in 2024), Sharjah International Airport, Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, and Fujairah International Airport.
Over the past five decades, the UAE’s air transport sector has transformed into a fully integrated global aviation system, featuring an extensive infrastructure network across all Emirates, including:
- 12 certified airports, including 8 international airports
- 100 heliports, some being developed into hybrid pads for electric vertical aircraft alongside traditional helicopters
- 35 UAE-registered air operators, including 5 national carriers
- 383 foreign operators registered in the UAE
- 189 bilateral air transport agreements covering 97% of the world’s countries
- Connectivity linking UAE airports with 304 airports across 109 countries
- 162 new international routes launched in the past five years alone
- Between 2014 and 2024, the UAE’s international air connectivity index increased by 39% regionally and 15% globally
- High operational capacity, with an average of 857 outbound international flights daily
- A registered fleet of 960 aircraft, including 520 operated by national carriers flying over 4,800 weekly flights worldwide
- Dubai International (DXB) has been the world’s busiest airport for international passengers for over a decade and continues to lead globally in scheduled international seat capacity, recording 5.34 million outbound seats in August 2025 (10.68 million in both directions), according to OAG’s monthly report
- Passenger traffic through UAE airports grew cumulatively by 33.6% over the past decade
- Current passenger handling capacity exceeds 160 million passengers annually
Data from 2023 highlights that the UAE accounts for 2.3% of global international passenger traffic and 32.2% of regional international traffic, positioning the country among the world’s most connected by air. This rapid growth results from strategic planning, visionary leadership, targeted investments, and operational excellence.
The UAE’s skies have become some of the busiest in the region, with over one million air traffic movements recorded in 2024. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the air transport sector contributes over USD 92 billion annually to the national economy, representing roughly 18% of GDP.
Direct employment within airlines, airport operators, air navigation service providers, and aerospace manufacturers totals approximately 206,800, generating a direct economic impact of USD 26.6 billion (about 5.3% of GDP). The broader economic footprint extends across supply chains, consumer spending by employees, and tourism supported by advanced aviation infrastructure, sustaining an estimated 991,500 jobs across related sectors.
The UAE’s aviation sector also plays a critical role in international trade, moving 4.36 million tonnes of cargo in the past year, making it the seventh-largest air cargo market globally.
Beyond economic contributions, aviation supports families, cultural exchange, and access to education and healthcare, advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Air travel has also become more affordable, with average real airfares dropping by 35% between 2011 and 2023. In 2023, there were 3,668 flights per 1,000 people.
The UAE’s aviation sector stands as a global benchmark, demonstrating how strategic investment in air transport infrastructure fosters sustainable economic and social development, securing the future of the country’s economy and society.
(Inputs from WAM)
