You will find Zayed International Airport situated 19 miles (30.6 km) east of Abu Dhabi, spreading over 15,000 acres. Serving as the primary international gateway to the capital of the United Arab Emirates, it is the second busiest airport in the nation. Renamed in February 2024 to honor the UAE's founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the airport hosts 24 airlines serving 128 destinations.
The airport acts as the central hub for Etihad Airways and an operating base for Air Arabia Abu Dhabi. While the airport originally operated across three separate terminals, all passenger flights were fully shifted to the modern Terminal A by early 2024. This single-terminal layout brings all low-cost and international network carriers together under one massive roof.
01 Terminals & concourses
Opened in late 2023, this 780,000-square-meter terminal handles all operating airlines and features biometric boarding alongside 163 commercial outlets. It also houses a U.S. border preclearance facility for eligible departing flights.
Airport map
The free OpenStreetMap layer below shows the whole airport — terminals, concourses, access roads and the parking garages. Zoom in for gate-level detail.
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL, free). Official gate/terminal maps are copyrighted — we link to them.
02 Which terminal does my airline use?
Airlines are grouped by alliance and region. Always confirm the concourse printed on your boarding pass — assignments can change seasonally.
Show all airlines by terminal ›
Grouped by terminal — check the concourse on your boarding pass before you fly; assignments can change seasonally.
Lost, delayed or damaged baggage at AUH
If your checked bag doesn't turn up on the belt, act before you leave the baggage-claim area — that's where every airline keeps its Baggage Service Office.
- Go to your airline's Baggage Service Office in the baggage-claim hall of your arrival terminal.
- File a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) and get your file reference (WorldTracer) number. Keep your bag-tag receipt and boarding pass.
- Track it online using that reference on your airline's baggage-tracking page — most bags are located within 24–48 hours.
- Claim your essentials. On delayed bags airlines reimburse reasonable interim purchases (toiletries, clothing) — keep receipts. International trips are covered by the Montreal Convention.
- If it's truly lost (generally after 21 days) or damaged, file the claim at the same office — damage must be reported before you leave the airport.
Left something in the terminal (not a checked bag)? That's handled by the airport Lost & Found. Items left at a TSA security checkpoint are held by the TSA, not the airline.
03 Getting to & from AUH
These are the ground-transport options connecting the airport with the city. Fares and schedules change — check the operator before you travel.
| Option | Details |
|---|---|
| Bus | Seven public bus routes serve the airport, including 24-hour A1 and A2 lines to central Abu Dhabi and line E102 to Dubai. |
| Coach | Etihad Airways provides dedicated coach connections to Downtown Dubai and Al Ain for its passengers. |
| Road | Route E10 provides direct highway access connecting the airport to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Al Ain, with rental cars and taxis available. |
