UAE Aviation Sets New Milestone with Over 1 Million Air Movements in 2024

UAE aviation industry has had historical accomplishment in setting its new record where Sheikh Zayed Air Navigation Centre had crossed one million air traffic movements in 2024. This greatness was reported by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and place UAE on the cutting edge globally as the country that boasts of its superior aviation, innovation and infrastructure.

Obtained on December 22, 2024 with the arrival of Emirates Airlines flight 305 from Shanghai, the record has not only reflects the UAE’s long term vision but also the hard work of its aviation organizations. The Minister of Economy and the Chairman of GCAA, Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, stressed the importance of this achievement, and was confident that it would help the UAE to strengthen its position as an aviation hub for international civil aviation and as a pillar of its economy.

“This supermilestone is not just purely numerical, but more of an embodiment of our groundbreaking approaches in combination with the commitment towards the increase of competitiveness in the aviation field,” Al Marri said. Air traffic to the UAE has been rising by 20 per cent in the past two years including 10.3 per cent increase in 2024, and further improvements in technologies and human resource capacity over the next year show the country will handle even larger volumes in future.

Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of GCAA attributed this achievement to the effort of the strategic planning, Innovation and teamwork of Sheikh Zayed Air Navigation Centre team. In 2024 the Centre implemented sophisticated technology systems, incorporated new applications and improved flight density to respond to the growth in demand safely and effectively.

In line with the WtUA 2031 vision and learning from the Year of Sustainability, the Centre also followed sustainable measures to reduce aviation’s environmental footprint. This accomplishment reveals the UAE’s strength, sustainability plan and its capability to bounce back from difficulties around the world, in airspace control and business productivity.