The Emirate's first international airport, built in the 1960s in the Al Bateen area, did not take long to lose pace with the rapid growth of the Emirate and, by 1982, a new airport was established approximately 30 km east of Abu Dhabi City, at a major national crossroads on the UAE road network. The new facility was designed for a capacity of 3.5 million passengers per annum, covering an area of 1,700 hectares, with an additional 1,700 hectare land bank reserved for future expansion. This means that the area has long been ready to withstand even the massive infrastructural changes that are now taking place at the airport, and with relatively minimal disruption to existing operational areas.)

The current multi-billion dollar master plan aspires to raise the Airport's passenger capacity to up to 20 million passengers by the inital phase of opening, when Phase 1 of the new Midfield Terminal is scheduled to be completed.

Other major components of the Master Plan include a second runway (operational from October 2008), a new air traffic control tower, a new cargo complex, and business park facilities.

The airport and its future operations are clearly set to serve one of the world's fastest growing cities.

Website : www.abudhabiairport.ae