São Paulo – The United Arab Emirates’ airports surpassed 134 million passenger mark last year. The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) mentioned the passenger mark grew compared to 2022 and projected that 140 million will go through the country’s airports, including the terminals of Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Dubai (pictured).
UAE state news agency WAM quoted GCAA director general Saif Mohammed al Suwaidi as saying that the “growth” was bolstered by the resurgence of tourism and the successful hosting of major international conferences towards the end of the year.
From November to December, Dubai hosted the United Nations COP28 climate conference. UAE airports recorded approximately 38 million arrivals, 37.805 million departures, and 58.328 million transit passengers in 2023.
Further growth this year, Suwaidi estimated, will result from expansions underway at international airports, which will enable UAE carriers – like Emirates, Etihad and FlyDubai – to operate more flights to diverse destinations. Al Suwaidi added that there are strategic projects focused on improving airspace management and ensuring smooth air traffic flow.
Translation by Guilherme Miranda
