The UAE’s national carriers are expanding their destinations, driven by the country’s strong global tourism and business reputation and the resurgence in travel demand. The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) projects passenger traffic to reach 140 million, reflecting the ongoing growth and competitiveness of UAE airlines.
Official data indicates that UAE national carriers now serve approximately 606 destinations worldwide, including joint and cargo routes, marking a 3.4 per cent increase from the 586 destinations served at the end of 2023. The breakdown of destinations by carrier is as follows: Emirates with over 144 destinations, Etihad Airways with 79 destinations, flydubai with 125 destinations, Air Arabia with 218 destinations, and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi with 40 destinations.
Etihad Airways, in particular, has been expanding its route network with the goal of reaching 125 destinations by 2030. The airline aims to leverage its strategic location between Asia and Europe and increase its annual passenger count to 33 million.
Etihad Airways has been strengthening its network since the beginning of this year, with plans to expand to over 125 destinations by 2030. This expansion strategy leverages its strategic location between Asia and Europe, aiming to increase its annual passenger count to over 33 million. The airline expects to introduce several new destinations this year after launching 15 new routes last year, including Lisbon, Copenhagen, Calcutta, and Osaka. Additionally, Etihad will increase its flights to Thailand to 41 per week starting in October and will resume flights to Nairobi on 15th December.
In the first half of 2024, Abu Dhabi Airports reported nearly 14 million passengers, a rise of 33.5 per cent from the previous year. Zayed International Airport alone managed 13.7 million passengers. Flight movements increased by 24.3 per cent, reaching 84,286. The airport welcomed new airlines and routes, enhancing connectivity and offering an innovative terminal experience.
In the first seven months of 2024, Etihad Airways carried 10.4 million passengers and expanded its fleet to 93 aircraft by the end of July, compared to 78 aircraft in July 2023. The airline also added 10 new destinations to its network this year. In the first half of 2024, Etihad recorded a net profit after tax of AED 851 million, a 48 per centyear-on-year increase, with revenues growing by 21 per centto AED 11.7 billion.Emirates currently operates a network covering 144 passenger and cargo destinations across six continents, continually working to increase seat capacity to meet rising travel demand and provide flexibility and choice for travellers passing through Dubai.
Emirates Airlines is set to fly its upgraded Boeing 777 aircraft to Zurich and Riyadh in early October and will add the same aircraft to its operations in Geneva and Brussels. Emirates is completing the modernisation of 80 more Boeing 777 aircraft as part of its more than USD 3 billion programme to deliver the best products and services in the industry and elevate the passenger experience in the skies to unprecedented levels.
