Practical tips

  • If you are flying to Abu Dhabi from abroad, you will most likely land at one of its biggest international airportsits main international airportAbu Dhabi International Airport AUH, the primary airport serving the UAE capital city Abu Dhabi and its surrounding areas. Abu Dhabi Airport is located approximately 30 km (19 miles) kilometers from the city center. It offers several transportation options for arriving passengers, including taxis, buses, and car rentals.

    The second airport of Abu Dhabi - Al Bateen Executive Airport AZI - is dedicated to private jets only.

    These are also the best (and cheapest) airports to fly into Abu Dhabi. As they are used by many airlines serving the same routes, the competition for passengers is fierce, and airfare decreases as a result.
Best airports to fly into Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH)
Abu Dhabi has one international airport – Abu Dhabi International Airport AUH, located 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) east of the city center of the UAE capital city Abu Dhabi. The airport is situated on the mainland and is easily accessible by car or public transportation (30-45 min car ride to the city center).
  • Once in Abu Dhabi, take advantage of frequent intercity flights operated by domestic airlines such as Emirates, Etihad Airways, FlyDubai, Wizzair Abu Dhabi, Rotana Jet, and Royal Jet. Those in-country carriers typically offer lower fares, operate from smaller airports located closer to city centers (you save on ground transportation) and provide flexible schedules – with a wide range of departure times.
  • Planning to explore the region? Popular destinations near Abu Dhabi can be easily reached with regional low-cost carriers (LCCs) by the likes of Air India Express, FlyNas, Go First, Pegasus Airlines, Saudia, and Wizzair. If you have a layover in Abu Dhabi and plan to fly only a short distance to one of its neighboring countries, these budget airlines are an excellent way to save money.

Flights to Abu Dhabi
from United States and Canada

  • There are no direct flights from the US or Canada to Abu Dhabi. However, most major hubs in Asia have non-stop flights to Abu Dhabi, as do some larger airports in the Middle East – your journey will have at least one stop. Direct flights from Canada (Toronto) to Abu Dhabi are operated by Etihad Airways, with an average flight time of around 13 hours. If you're looking for a non-stop connection from the US, check out Etihad Airways, and JetBlue for the latest offers. These two airlines have direct flights to Abu Dhabi from the largest hubs in the US, including Chicago, New York, and Washington
  • Abu Dhabi is well-served via one-stop flights from North America. Flights to Abu Dhabi with one layover depart from most major North American airports, including Atlanta ATL, Dallas DFW, Denver DEN, Chicago ORD, Los Angeles LAX, Las Vegas DFW, Miami MIA, Seattle SEA, Houston IAH, New York JFK, and San Francisco SFO in the United States and Toronto YYZ, Vancouver YVR, Calgary LAS, and Montreal YUL in Canada.
  • The best airlines to fly to Abu Dhabi from the US and Canada are: Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, and Singapore Airlines. They are top full-service carriers, offering exceptional customer service, in-flight comfort, a generous checked baggage allowance, and reliable customer support channels – all included in the ticket price.

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Flights to Abu Dhabi from Europe

  • There are no direct flights from Europe to Abu Dhabi — you’ll need to get a connecting flight from elsewhere in the Middle East or in Asia. Direct flights from Europe to Abu Dhabi are just a few hours long (around 6 hours if you fly non-stop from Frankfurt, and just 4 hours 30 minutes from Athens). Many European hubs have a nonstop connection to Abu Dhabi — including Amsterdam, London, Madrid, Paris, Vienna, and Zurich. Among the airlines that operate Europe — Abu Dhabi routes, you'll find both full-service carriers such as Etihad Airways, SriLankan Airlines, Turkish Airlines, British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, and low-budget companies by the likes of FlyDubai, Pegasus Airlines, Air Europa, and Wizz Air
  • Airlines that frequently fly from the UK, Germany, France, and other European countries to Abu Dhabi include Etihad Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, and Turkish Airlines.
  • Consider departure airports in neighboring countries to increase your chance of spotting the best deal. Especially look for large airports that serve as hubs for multiple airlines. For example, if you live in Western Europe, check air tickets to Abu Dhabi from Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Paris, and Rome. Leverage frequent promotions from European budget carriers like RyanAir, EasyJet, and Eurowings to reach a major hub; from there, take a cheaper long-haul flight to your final destination, potentially saving hundreds of euros.

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Things to know before flying to Abu Dhabi
Airlines flying to Abu DhabiAegan Airlines, Air Europa, Air France, Air India, Air India Express, Air New Zealand, Air Seychelles, AirBlue, ANA, Avianca, Badr Airlines, British Airways, Egypt Air, El Air, Emirates, Etihad Airways, FlyNas, FlexFlight, Gaurda Indonesia, Go First, Gulf Air, IndiGo, ITA Airways, JetBlue, Kam Air, KLM, Korean Airlines, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Middle East Airlines, Pakistan International Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian, Saudia, SriLankan Airlines, SWISS, Syrian Air, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines, Vistara, Wizz Air
Airlines of UAEEmirates, Etihad Airways, Air Arabia, FlyDubai, Wizzair Abu Dhabi, Rotana Jet, Royal Jet

Main airports in Abu DhabiAbu Dhabi International Airport (AUH)
Al Bateen Executive Airport (AZI)
Regular price (roundtrip)✈ €500 – €700 (from Europe)
✈ $800 – $1100 (from USA)

Low-cost flights from Abu Dhabi

Stay ahead of the game. Fly to popular destinations at a fraction of the regular fare.

The cheapest time to fly to Abu Dhabi

The cheapest time to fly to Abu Dhabi is during the summer months – from June to August. Middle East countries, like UAE, are extremely hot during the summer, and Abu Dhabi sees a sharp drop in tourist footfall during these months. With less demand for flights, airlines offer discounted tickets to fill their empty seats on planes.

Use Smart Travel system to avoid queues at Abu Dhabi Airport

The Smart Travel system installed at the Abu Dhabi Airport uses biometric data instead of passports and boarding passes to make passengers’ airport experience fully contactless.

Its fast-track biometric system uses face and iris recognition, so there is no need to scan any document – you can pass various ‘touchpoints’ across the airport by simply looking at the green light. The Smart Travel system includes self-service baggage counters, electronic immigration gates and self-boarding gates.

Who can use it? If you are UAE/GCC national or Visa-on-Arrival passenger with a biometric passport, you are eligible to use Smart Travel. There’s a requirement to be registered first. However, all passengers who have recently arrived at AUH are likely to have been registered when they entered the immigration touchpoint. If you still need to register, you can do this at the passport control desk.

Take a free bus from Abu Dhabi Airport to Dubai

You can take a comfortable and affordable direct bus from the airport to Dubai. The journey takes around 90 minutes, and buses frequently depart from the lower level of arrivals at Abu Dhabi Airport, with stops at Al Wasl Centre or Ibn Battuta Mall in the center of Dubai. If you are flying with free Etihad Airways, Air Seychelles, Bangkok Airways, Garuda Indonesia, or Royal Air Maroc, you are eligible for a free Etihad Coach. Otherwise, you can book the Airport Express bus service – which offers economy seats for 25 AED (7 USD) and VIP tickets for 40 AED (11 USD).

Next tips

Connect to Wi-Fi

Abu Dhabi International Airport offers fast, unlimited free Wi-Fi that you can use immediately upon arrival. Use your phone to look for networks, and select “ADAC Free Wireless” – once the ADAC welcome box appears, click “Accept” to be redirected to Abu Dhabi airport’s website landing page.

Avoid currency exchange kiosks at airports

Airports are infamous for making an exuberant amount of money from their currency exchanges due to the extremely high margins, and Emirati airports are no exception. Airport kiosks usually charge higher fees which are sometimes hidden within the poorer exchange rates they offer – their business is based on charging extra for being a convenient, last-minute option.

It is always a good idea to bring cash to Abu Dhabi. Plan ahead and exchange some money for Emirati dirham at home, or use one of the many ATMs at the airport and in the city.

Check your terminal at AUH airport

If you are transiting via Abu Dhabi AUH, double-check which terminal your next flight is from. Abu Dhabi International Airport is huge, and getting between terminals may involve taking a shuttle bus. Terminal 1 serves international flights operated by Air India, Etihad Airways, Gulf Air, KLM, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, and Turkish Airlines. Terminal 2 mainly serves low-cost carriers such as Air Arabia, Flydubai, and IndiGo, and Terminal 3 is exclusively used by Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates.

Next tips

Domestic flights from Abu Dhabi

Most domestic routes in UAE are operated by local carriers. When traveling to popular tourist destinations such as Dubai, Sharjah, Al Ain, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah from Abu Dhabi Airport, you’ll likely fly with one of these domestic airlines: Emirates, Etihad Airways, FlyDubai, Wizzair Abu Dhabi, Rotana Jet, and Royal Jet.

This is often the best transportation method, providing speed, convenience, and cost-effectiveness. Local airlines often offer multiple daily flights to key destinations, providing flexibility in scheduling and competitive pricing. They also serve smaller regional airports, enabling access to a wider range of Emirati destinations.

Flights to Abu Dhabi
from Australia and New Zealand

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Flights to Abu Dhabi
from major hubs in Asia

  • Many popular tourist destinations in Asia have convenient direct flights to/from Abu Dhabi: Bangkok BKK, Beijing PEK, Hong Kong HKG, Jakarta CGK, Kuala Lumpur KUL, Manila MNL, New Delhi DEL, Phuket HKT, Seoul ICN, Shanghai PVG, Singapore SIN, and Tokyo NRT.
  • Asia is probably the best continent for short-haul and mid-haul flying. The sheer scale of this most populous region on Earth is reflected in the type of aircraft operating many shorter routes: intra-Asia flyers benefit from comfortable, wide-bodied aircraft by the likes of Boeing 777, 787 or Airbus A350, A330, and A380. When booking your flight to Abu Dhabi look for these bigger planes as they will almost always give you the best experience in every cabin, including better seat pitches, higher ceilings, and larger overhead bin space.
  • Asia is also home to most of the world’s best airlines. There are only ten airlines that received the prestigious 5-star mark of quality from Skytrax, and all of them are from Asia: ANA, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines. Choosing one of these airlines for your trip to Abu Dhabi will guarantee a pleasant journey – delicious meals served during the flight, great in-flight entertainment, and above-average airline customer service.
  • Asia is extremely well served by low-cost regional airlines. If you are visiting UAE and want to see several other countries on a tight budget, they often have great sales with rock-bottom prices, while still offering a relatively comfortable flight experience. Among the best Asian budget airlines you can book without hesitation are AirAsiaCebu Pacific, Citilink, FlyDubai, Indigo, Jetstar Airways, Scoot, SpiceJet, and VietJet Air. The cons? Being no-frills airlines they may not provide free baggage allowance, inflight meals, or onboard entertainment. The departure times may also be quite inconvenient as they try to save money by flying at off-peak hours.

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Flights to Abu Dhabi dataset