The new Abu Dhabi Terminal A is open…for some flights

Terminal A at Abu Dhabi Airport is finally open and operational. The first commercial departed on 31 October 2023. 

We also now know that Abu Dhabi Airport will get a new name next year. From 9 February 2024 the airport will be renamed Zayed International Airport.

Three-phased transition plan 

The move to Terminal A is taking place in three phases over the first two weeks of November. 

In phase one, 16 mainly low-cost airlines switched to Terminal A on 1 November. Phase two begins on 8 November, with Etihad Airways transferring certain flights to Terminal A. 

The final phase begins at 11 am on 14 November, when all remaining airlines and Etihad flights will shift to the new Terminal A 

If you’re flying from or through Abu Dhabi between now and 11 am on 14 November, double-check which terminal your flight will operate from. 

A free shuttle bus is available between terminals, departing every 10 minutes.

First impression inside Terminal A 

A couple of days ago, I went to Terminal A to check out the departures and arrivals area. My first flight out of Terminal A is scheduled for later in the month, and I will have a full review of the new terminal and the lounges at that time. 

My primary impression was just how much more spacious and light Terminal A is compared to the previous facility. There’s tons of space and a very logical flow from drop off through to passport control and security.

Terminal A facts & figures

Terminal A cost almost $3 billion to build. At 742,000 square metres, it will be one of the largest terminals in the world. It has been designed to handle a capacity of 45 million passengers annually.

The terminal will have 65 boarding gates, including eight that can handle the A380. Etihad Airways returned four A380 aircraft to service earlier this year to accommodate surging passenger demand. Two flights daily between Abu Dhabi and London Heathrow are operated by A380.

There will also be 28,000 metres of retail space and a 3-star transit hotel with 163 rooms.

Abu Dhabi needs the extra capacity

Etihad Airways CEO Antonoaldo Neves has begun steering the airline back towards growth. He has predicted Etihad will triple in size by 2030, requiring new aircraft enabling the airline to add new routes and increase frequencies to existing destinations. 

In 2023, Etihad Airways announced the launch of eleven new routes, including flights to Boston, Lisbon and Osaka. In addition to new destinations, Etihad is increasing its frequency on several popular routes.

During the pandemic, Abu Dhabi acquired two new local airlines, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, with ambitious growth plans. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi aims to base 50 aircraft at Abu Dhabi Airport by 2030. 

What I’m looking forward to most

I can not wait to travel through the new Terminal A. There are a few things I am most excited about.

Touchless Travel

Terminal A will be one of the world’s most technologically advanced airport facilities when it opens. 

The new airport terminal will be completely touchless from check-in through to boarding. It will not be necessary to present passports and boarding passes at each point in the journey. 

The touchless travel technology is being trialled at the existing terminal on flights to the USA. 

New Etihad premium lounges 

The new terminal has 30,000 square metres set aside for airline lounges. 

Etihad has been thinking about the new lounges for several years and exploring ways to make them unique. 

They trialled VR headsets in the First Class lounge a few years back. 

The new terminal gives Etihad the space to do something special with its lounges. Looking at how the airline has been trying to reposition itself as a boutique carrier, I hope we see something extraordinary with the new lounge concept.

New retail and F&B options

The 28,000 meters of retail space in Terminal A provides room for 163 new retail and food and beverage outlets. That is going to take a bit of time to explore. However, I suspect that not all of the retailers will be open immediately from the middle of November.

Be the first to know

Subscribe to The Expat flyer newsletter for comprehensive coverage of the new Terminal A at Abu Dhabi Airport. All flights to and from Abu Dhabi are expected to switch to Terminal A from Tuesday 14 November.