Page 300 - MOET ENGLISH PR REPORT - AUGUST 2025

destinations in Russia, Czech Republic, Poland, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Turkey,
Iran, Egypt, Croatia, and Ethiopia — further cementing the UAE’s status as a leading global aviation
hub.
On this occasion, Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, and Chairman of
the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), stated, "Thanks to the directives of our wise leadership,
the UAE continues to enhance its global and regional standing as an international aviation hub,
posting unprecedented growth rates driven by innovative national initiatives and strategies. This has
significantly strengthened the country’s competitiveness and leadership in this vital sector, which
today represents a key pillar for driving economic growth, diversifying income sources, and
supporting trade, tourism, investment, and job creation across all aviation-linked sectors."

He added, “The performance indicators for the first half of 2025 reflect the resilience and
sustainability of the aviation sector, as well as the competitiveness of the UAE’s airports, national
carriers, and air navigation services. We see aviation as a bridge connecting the UAE to the world
and a key enabler for achieving our long-term economic objectives. We will continue working to
expand the country's air connectivity with global markets, supported by a flexible and advanced
regulatory framework, ambitious open skies policies, and ongoing infrastructure development
plans.”

Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of GCAA, stated, "Thanks to the guidance and
unwavering support of our wise leadership, the aviation sector is advancing steadily towards
greater growth and prosperity. These positive indicators highlight the strength of our aviation
infrastructure and the effectiveness of integrated efforts by all our partners — including airports,
airlines, and air navigation service providers."

Al Suwaidi added, “We are proud to continue achieving stable growth rates in both passenger and
cargo traffic, supported by ambitious development projects to keep pace with this expansion. The
total passenger handling capacity of the country’s airports now exceeds 160 million, and we are
confident that the aviation sector will continue to play a pivotal role in supporting the national
economy, boosting tourism and trade, and reinforcing the UAE’s position as a leading air transport
hub regionally and globally.”

In detail, air traffic in the UAE continued its growth during the first half of the current year, recording
531,000 movements — a 6.2 percent increase compared to the same period last year, which saw
nearly 500,000 movements. Riyadh, Jeddah, Kuwait, Mumbai, and Bahrain ranked as the top five
busiest destinations in terms of weekly flights to and from the UAE.

Regarding air cargo, the total volume handled across the country’s airports exceeded 2.2 million
tons, marking a 4.74 percent growth compared to the same period last year, with national carriers
accounting for 67 percent of the total cargo traffic.

https://www.wam.ae/en/article/bl6brbu-uae-airports-receive-754-million-passengers-2025