U.S. Companies to Help Expand, Modernize, and Reimagine Air Travel in the U.A.E.
  • Council Events, Past Events

Share

Delegates pictured meeting with Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths

“We are looking to harness the brainpower of companies that think differently.” – Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports. 

Ahead of the Dubai Airshow, the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council led a U.S. Department of Commerce-certified airports trade mission to the U.A.E. from November 11-14, 2025, focused on the expansion and modernization of U.A.E. airports. 

Delegates from 22 American companies met with senior leadership of all the major airports and key stakeholders in the commercial aviation sectors of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) and explored the ways to deploy cutting-edge technologies and innovations to reimagine the passenger experience. 

Key takeaways include:

  • The U.A.E. aims to not only expand their commercial aviation infrastructure but make it more innovative and efficient.
     
  • Dubai Airports is focused on improving the guest experience through technology, as it seeks to not just be biggest and best airport but also “delight guests in the Dubai way.”
     
  • Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects have nearly completed the masterplan for Al Maktoum International Airport. Upon completion, the airport will boast five runways, 400+ contact stands, double its cargo capacity, and accommodate 260 million passengers up from 92.3 million, easily making it the world’s largest.
     
  • Abu Dhabi is also “people-focused” in its expansion plans. Abu Dhabi Airport plans to expand its capacity to 65 million passengers per year by 2032, supported by Etihad’s ambition to double its fleet by 2030 and the coming of Disneyland Abu Dhabi. 
     
  • Sharjah Airport’s digital transformation strategy aims to increase capacity by integrating smart services into the existing space. Their growth is complementing that of airports in Abu Dhabi and Dubai with its own plans to double its annual passenger capacity to 20 million. 
     
  • RAK is expanding its airport in anticipation of an influx of tourism related to the Wynn Al Marjan Island resort, which will be the largest U.S. investment into RAK at $5.2 billion. As such, RAK also aims to enhance their public transportation and connect 80% of their urban areas with infrastructure like buses, boats, bikes, and eVTOLs. 
     
  • This necessitates new, innovative technologies that enable the free flow of people and goods, such as artificial intelligence integrations, VR, and autonomous vehicles. 
     
  • Electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOLs) vehicles will connect the emirates and transform the way in which people travel domestically. U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council members Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation are currently working with Abu Dhabi and Dubai, respectively, to launch air taxi networks across the emirates by 2026. ADIO is helping spearhead these efforts through theSAVI cluster. 
     
  • The U.A.E.’s public transportation infrastructure will also need to grow alongside to the expansion of airports. The goal is transform urban life by integrating airports seamlessly into existing infrastructure of road and rail networks, as well as future infrastructure like eVTOLs and high-speed rail. 
Delegates pictured on a tour of Zayed International Airport, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.

During the visit, the delegation participated in:

  • A country brief with the U.S. Mission to the U.A.E.
     
  • A business and legal brief led by Morgan Lewis;
     
  • Meetings in Abu Dhabi with senior representatives from t the General Civil Aviation Authority, Abu Dhabi Airports, the Abu Dhabi Investment Office ,and Etihad Airways; 
     
  • Meetings in Ras Al Khaimah with Ras Al Khaimah Transport Authority, Ras Al Khaimah Department of Civil Aviation, Ras Al Khaimah Airport, and His Highness the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah; 
     
  • A meeting in Sharjah with Sharjah Airport; 
     
  • Meetings in Dubai with Dubai Airports, Emirates Airline Group, dnata, and Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects; 
     
  • An industry reception which featured representatives from the 2PointZero, the U.A.E. Ministry of Foreign Trade, U.S. Embassy – Abu Dhabi, Archer Aviation, and Joby Aviation. 
Delegates pictured with His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah

For more information about the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council’s airports trade delegation and commercial aviation programming, please contact Faria Nasruddin at fnasruddin@usuaebusiness.org.