Zayed International Airport

Zayed International Airport is the capital gateway of the United Arab Emirates and the primary hub of Etihad Airways, the UAE's state flag carrier, serving 43 airlines on 234 routes to 151 nonstop destinations. Renamed from Abu Dhabi International Airport in February 2024 in honor of founding president Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, AUH anchors the Arabian Peninsula's second-largest long-haul operation after Dubai (DXB) and is positioned 30 km (19 mi) east of central Abu Dhabi at an elevation of 88 ft (27 m). The defining event in AUH's modern history is the November 2023 opening of Terminal A, a single mega-terminal that replaced the airport's previous three-terminal configuration and became one of the largest single airport buildings in the world at 742,000 square meters (8 million sq ft). The new terminal accommodates up to 45 million passengers per year, features 163 gates on five concourses, and was designed by KPF with a soaring sand-dune-inspired roof and a security hall using advanced CT scanners that permit liquids and laptops to remain in bags. A US Customs and Border Protection preclearance facility — one of only two in the Middle East — allows Etihad passengers to clear US immigration before departure and arrive at American airports as domestic passengers. AUH operates two parallel asphalt runways at 13,471 ft (4,108 m) and 13,451 ft (4,100 m), each 197 ft (60 m) wide — dimensions sized for Airbus A380 operations. Etihad's global network emphasizes Southeast Asia, South Asia, Europe, and North America, and the airline's fleet of A380s, 787s, and A350s pivots through AUH on a classic sixth-freedom Middle East connecting model. The airport is a Star Alliance-free zone: Etihad remains non-aligned, though it maintains a dense partnership ecosystem with American Airlines, Virgin Australia, and others.