The emergence of the UAE as a global tourist and business destination in addition to its strategic location between Europe, the Middle East and Africa, on the one hand, and the Far East, Central Asia and Oceania, on the other, has made the UAE one of the world’s busiest air transportation hubs for both passengers and cargo. The UAE responded to the increasing demand on air transport by building world-class international airports which together connect the country in direct flights to more than 180 cities around the world. Today, more than 100 airlines, including two award-winning national airlines and a third locally based, fly more than 50 million passengers through or into and out of the UAE.

So, travellers to the Emirate of Abu Dhabi are assured of comfortable flights and easy connections from wherever they board around the world. While the emirate is well served internally by two international airports covering all major destinations, the proximity of international airports in other emirates ensures easy access to Abu Dhabi from destinations not covered by the emirate’s two airports. Travelling by land to Abu Dhabi from airports in other emirates is only a 90-minute to two-hours-and-half trip.

Beside being among the safest in the world, UAE international airports provide business and leisure travellers with all modern facilities and high quality round-the-clock services and traveller assistance to ensure an enjoyable experience, whether telecommunication and Internet services, car rentals, banking services, restaurants and coffee shops, storage services or five-star accommodation.

 

 

The emirate of Abu Dhabi’s fast growing travel market is serviced by two world-class airports: Abu Dhabi International Airport and Al Ain International Airport. The former, established in 1982, has undergone a number of expansions over the years with additional expansions planned, including the construction of a fifth terminal to be completed by mid 2008 and the construction of a new airport north of the present one, at a later phase, with the capacity to handle some 20 million passengers annually by 2010.

 

The state-of-the-art Abu Dhabi International Airport is located 26 km east of Abu Dhabi city centre and currently has three passenger terminals at Abu Dhabi International Airport. These include the Gulf Air Traveler Terminal located below Terminal 1. The latter is the main airport terminal at Abu Dhabi International Airport. A fourth terminal – City Terminal – is situated off-site in Abu Dhabi and allows passengers of select airlines to check in their luggage and pick up their boarding passes in the city and then catch a shuttle bus to the airport at their leisure.

Over 34 airlines fly regular flights from Abu Dhabi International Airport to over 150 destinations worldwide, including the national airline – Etihad Airways. Facilities at the airport include numerous restaurants and cafés, a business center, post office, prayer rooms, a 24 hour medical centre, banking facilities and ATMs, car hire companies and public telephones, as well as VIP lounges at terminal 2 and at the Abu Dhabi Airport Hotel – a five star hotel that features an 18-hole, 6,711 yard, par 71 sand golf course.

The airport is wheelchair accessible, featuring a special check-in gate, as well as elevators, ramps and  toilets in all terminals. Physically challenged travelers  may make use of the airport’s meet-and-assist service, Golden Class (+971-2-5757466), which provides personal assistance to all travelers.

Shoppers looking to pick up top-brand items in fashion, fragrance, cosmetics and confectionaries will welcome the shopping experience at Abu Dhabi International Airport’s Duty Free Shop facilities which also carry other popular goods such as gold, electronic items, books, toiletries, tobacco, beverages, local antiques and souvenirs.

Taxis are readily available at the airport terminal, as are public buses, run by the Abu Dhabi Municipal Bus Service. Bus number 901 travels to Abu Dhabi city centre every 30 to 45 minutes, and is a pleasant way to travel into the city.

Al Ain International Airport is located 23 km to the northwest of Al Ain city centre, some 160 km from the city of Abu Dhabi. There are currently nine airlines that fly to Al Ain, including Etihad Airways, which connects the inland city to all the airline’s global destinations via Abu Dhabi. Facilities at Al Ain International Airport include restaurants and cafés, banking facilities and ATMs, car hire services, public telephones and a medical centre. The Al Ain Duty Free Shop is managed by Abu Dhabi Duty Free.

 

 

In addition to traveling through Abu Dhabi International Airport and Al Ain International Airport, visitors to Abu Dhabi can travel to the emirate via airports in neighbouring emirates. Most convenient, Dubai International Airport in neighboring Dubai is only 145 km from Abu Dhabi city centre, roughly a 1.5 hour trip by taxi or rental car. Emirates, the national airline of Dubai, flies to over 90 destinations worldwide, while most of the world’s leading airlines operate regular flights to Dubai.

Meanwhile, Sharjah International Airport in the emirate of Sharjah, is 170 km from Abu Dhabi city centre. Sharjah’s low-fare national airline, Air Arabia, flies to over 35 destinations, whereas a number of leading airlines fly into Sharjah International Airport on scheduled flights. Both airports serve as busy travel hubs for international flights as well as those from the region. Other airports in the United Arab Emirates include Fujairah International Airport (270 km from Abu Dhabi) and Ras Al Khaimah International Airport (240 km).

Visitors to Abu Dhabi flying into any of these airports can either rent a car from the number of car rental agencies found in every airport, or pick up a taxi outside the airport. Taxis are a safe, economical means of transport country-wide.