✈️ UAE · UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Zayed International Airport (AUH): Abu Dhabi’s Landmark Terminal A — Etihad’s Home, Parking Fees and the Pearl Lounge
Zayed International Airport (IATA: AUH, ICAO: OMAA) is the gateway to Abu Dhabi and the home hub of Etihad Airways. In November 2023 every scheduled flight moved into the spectacular new Terminal A — one of the largest airport terminals in the world — and in February 2024 the airport was renamed in honour of the UAE’s founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Handling close to 29 million passengers in 2024, AUH combines record-breaking architecture with practical touches travellers love: biometric check-in, a US preclearance facility, and some of the most generous airport lounges in the region. This guide covers the terminal, official parking fees, the Pearl Lounge, buses to Dubai, and how to check live arrivals and departures.
Zayed International Airport (f
Official name
AUH
IATA code
OMAA
ICAO code
Khalifa City area, east of Abu
Location
One point catches people out: the old Terminals 1, 2 and 3 that long-time Abu Dhabi travellers remember are no longer used for scheduled passenger flights. Every airline now departs from Terminal A. If a taxi driver or an old booking mentions another terminal, Terminal A is still your destination.
Key Facts
| Official name | Zayed International Airport (formerly Abu Dhabi International) |
| IATA code | AUH |
| ICAO code | OMAA |
| Location | Khalifa City area, east of Abu Dhabi island |
| Distance to city centre | Around 30 km from the Corniche and downtown Abu Dhabi — about 25–30 minutes by road |
| Operator | Abu Dhabi Airports |
| Terminals | Terminal A (opened November 2023) handles all scheduled passenger flights; the former Terminals 1, 2 and 3 are closed to scheduled services |
| Runways | 2 runways: 13L/31R and 13R/31L, each about 4,100 m |
| Passengers | Around 29 million in 2024 |
| Special feature | US Customs and Border Protection preclearance — the only facility of its kind in the Middle East |
✈️ Zayed International Airport at a Glance
- All flights use the new Terminal A — a 742,000 m² landmark designed by KPF with capacity for 45 million passengers a year
- Home of Etihad Airways, flying to 80+ destinations worldwide
- Standard parking is AED 125 per 24 hours; pre-booked long-stay deals start from AED 225 for 2–3 days
- The Pearl Lounge is the terminal’s pay-per-use lounge, open to all passengers
- Hourly Airport Express buses link the airport with Dubai’s Ibn Battuta station in about 90 minutes
Terminals
Terminal A is a single, enormous building arranged in an X shape with four piers and 65 gates, so even at its full 45-million-passenger capacity, walking distances stay manageable. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, its flowing roof is inspired by desert dunes and its interior columns branch like palm trees over a departures hall flooded with natural light. The terminal pioneered a full biometric journey — facial recognition at check-in, bag drop, border control and boarding for enrolled passengers — which keeps queues moving even at peak times.
Etihad occupies the heart of the terminal, and all partner and foreign airlines — including Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, Air India, British Airways, Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines — check in within the same building. A highlight unique in the region is the US preclearance facility: passengers flying to the United States clear US immigration and customs in Abu Dhabi and arrive in America as domestic passengers. Detailed Abu Dhabi airport maps for Terminal A are available on the airport’s official website to help you find check-in zones, lounges and gates in advance.
Parking
The Abu Dhabi airport parking fee structure at Terminal A is simple and published. The main car park (about 3,380 spaces) is a two-to-five-minute walk from the terminal. On standard drive-up rates, the first 10 minutes are free, 11–15 minutes cost about AED 10, 16–30 minutes AED 25, up to two hours AED 35, three hours AED 55 and four hours AED 65; 24 hours costs AED 125, with each additional day around AED 100. Pre-booking online is significantly cheaper for longer trips: roughly AED 225 for 2–3 days, AED 325 for 4–7 days and AED 400 for 8–14 days, then about AED 50 per extra day. A separate Long Stay Park & Ride car park (1,500+ spaces, pre-booking required) offers the lowest rates, with a free shuttle to the terminal, and valet parking is available at the departures kerb. Rates and offers change, so always confirm the current official charges when you book.
Getting To and From the Airport
A taxi to downtown Abu Dhabi takes about 25–30 minutes; silver airport taxis queue outside Terminal A arrivals. City buses (including the A1 and A2 airport routes) connect the airport with the Corniche and Al Wahda areas for a few dirhams using the Hafilat card, and car rental desks line the arrivals level. The inter-emirate star is the Airport Express bus between Abu Dhabi Airport and Dubai: it runs from Ibn Battuta Bus Station in Dubai directly to Terminal A, roughly hourly on the hour, around the clock, taking about 90 minutes for a fare commonly listed at AED 35 — book ahead on the airport website, as walk-up seats are not guaranteed. Etihad also runs its own coach services for ticketed passengers between Dubai and AUH. Yas Island is only about 10 minutes away, and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque around 15–20 minutes.
Facilities and Services
Terminal A offers free unlimited Wi-Fi, extensive seating with charging points, prayer rooms, medical services, baby-care facilities, left luggage, and an airside Aerotel transit hotel for layovers. Lounge choice is a strong point: Etihad’s multi-level First and Business Class lounges in Terminal A are among the largest airline lounges in the world, while the Pearl Lounge is the terminal’s independent lounge, open to any passenger through Priority Pass, lounge programmes or pay-at-the-door entry — expect showers, hot food, a bar, quiet areas and runway views. Airport lounge access at Abu Dhabi is therefore easy even on an economy ticket: book the Pearl Lounge in advance during peak periods, as it does fill up.
Food and Shopping
Duty free in Terminal A is operated across a large central marketplace with perfumes, cosmetics, electronics, gold and jewellery, dates and Arabic sweets, and international luxury brands. Dining spans Emirati and Arabic restaurants, Asian and Indian outlets, bakeries and global coffee chains, with options in both the landside arrivals area and throughout the departure piers. With long-haul banks departing through the night, many outlets operate 24 hours. Prices are typical for a flagship Gulf hub, and the quality is a clear step up from the old terminals.
Airlines and Destinations
Etihad Airways anchors the network with services to 80+ destinations across the Middle East, Asia, Europe, North America and Australia, and Terminal A also hosts the low-cost carriers Air Arabia Abu Dhabi and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, plus full-service airlines including Air India, British Airways, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways and SriLankan. Schedules change by season, so use the live arrivals and departures boards on the Zayed International Airport website, enter your flight number, and re-check on the day — the same source confirms whether the airport is operating normally during any disruption. Etihad passengers connecting here should note the minimum connection times are short by hub standards, thanks to the single-terminal layout.
Hotels Near the Airport
Inside the terminal, the airside Aerotel Abu Dhabi offers rooms by the night or in hourly blocks for transit passengers. Outside, the closest cluster of hotels is on Yas Island, about 10 minutes by taxi — including the W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island (over the F1 circuit), Yas Island Rotana, Crowne Plaza Yas Island and Radisson Blu — all convenient for early flights and for combining a stopover with Yas theme parks. Khalifa City and Al Raha Beach hotels are similarly close, while downtown Abu Dhabi hotels are 25–30 minutes away.
From Midfield Project to Terminal A: The Story of Abu Dhabi’s New Gateway
For two decades Abu Dhabi’s old terminals ran beyond their design capacity while the replacement — known for years as the Midfield Terminal — rose between the two runways. The project takes its nickname from that position: the terminal literally sits midfield, surrounded by runways on both sides. After a long construction journey, Terminal A finally opened in November 2023 with a phased transfer of airlines, and the renaming to Zayed International Airport in February 2024 completed the transformation. The result is a terminal designed for the next 40 years: 45 million passenger capacity, biometric processing throughout, and room to grow towards the emirate’s ambition of a 65-million-passenger gateway. For passengers, the story matters because it explains the airport’s most useful features — one terminal for everything, short connections, and space that old AUH never had.
Careers and Jobs at Abu Dhabi Airport
Abu Dhabi airport careers run through two main doors: Abu Dhabi Airports, the operator, advertises operations, engineering, safety, commercial and corporate vacancies on its official careers portal, while Etihad Airways — the airport’s biggest employer — recruits cabin crew, pilots, engineers and head-office staff through Etihad careers. Ground handling, retail and hospitality tenants at Terminal A also hire regularly. Apply only through the official company websites: legitimate UAE aviation employers never ask candidates to pay for applications, visas or training up front.
FAQs
Which terminal do flights use at Abu Dhabi Airport?
All scheduled passenger flights — Etihad and every other airline — use Terminal A, which opened in November 2023. The old Terminals 1, 2 and 3 no longer handle scheduled flights, so ignore older guides and head straight for Terminal A.
How much is parking at Zayed International Airport?
Standard rates at the Terminal A car park start with 10 minutes free, rise to about AED 35 for up to two hours, and reach AED 125 for 24 hours, with around AED 100 per extra day. Pre-booking long stays online cuts the cost substantially — about AED 225 for 2–3 days and AED 400 for 8–14 days. Always check the official parking page for current fees.
Is there a bus from Dubai to Abu Dhabi Airport?
Yes. The Airport Express runs between Ibn Battuta Bus Station in Dubai and Terminal A roughly hourly on the hour, 24 hours a day, taking about 90 minutes for a fare commonly listed around AED 35. Book your seat in advance on the airport’s website. Etihad also operates coaches between Dubai and the airport for its own passengers.
What is the Pearl Lounge and how do I get in?
The Pearl Lounge is Terminal A’s independent airport lounge, open to passengers of any airline. Access is via Priority Pass and similar programmes, eligible payment cards, online pre-booking or paying at the door. It offers hot food, drinks, showers and quiet seating — book ahead at peak times.
How do I check if Abu Dhabi Airport is open and my flight is on time?
Use the live flight information on the Zayed International Airport website or your airline’s flight-status tool and search by flight number. During disruption, the airport and Etihad post service updates on their official channels — check there before leaving for the airport rather than relying on third-party timetables.
Summary
Zayed International Airport’s Terminal A has turned Abu Dhabi into one of the easiest Gulf hubs to use: a single landmark terminal, biometric processing, US preclearance, the Pearl Lounge for pay-per-use relaxation, transparent parking from AED 125 a day, and an hourly bus to Dubai. Check your flight on the live board, pre-book parking for longer trips, and give yourself time to enjoy one of the world’s most striking airport buildings.
Need more flight options? The country’s largest airport is Dubai International Airport, with routes all over the world.