Since late 2023, all flights at Abu Dhabi International Airport operate out of Terminal A, while the former terminals have been closed.
Terminal A After several delays, development work started on a new passenger terminal, which was to be situated between the two runways and then known as the
Midfield Terminal. The Midfield Terminal has increased the airport's passenger capacity to more than 45 million per year, with options for this to double in capacity to 60 million. An additional facility is under consideration that would take the capacity to 80 million. The new facility covers a floor area of over , making it one of the largest
airport terminal buildings in the world. It is capable of handling 79
Airbus A380-type aircraft and 11,000 passengers at peak hours. Equipped with modern and advanced facilities, it also has biometric technology to enable the screening and boarding processes to proceed faster. It has 35,000 square metres of retail and commercial space and 163 outlets. The general exterior of the terminal was designed by international architecture firm,
Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates. The new terminal was due to open on 7 July 2017, then pushed back to early 2019 in time for the
2019 Special Olympics, then delayed again until the final quarter of 2019. Due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, the opening date was pushed back to sometime in mid-to-late 2021; then, on 5 July 2021, a major construction contract was cancelled. The contract was with a consortium which comprises United Arab Emirates-based
Arabtec,
Turkey's TAV Insaat and
Athens-based
Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC), with Abu Dhabi-headquartered Trojan, had been awarded the contract to finish the terminal's construction instead. In early 2023, it was reported that the Midfield Terminal would open by the end of 2023. On August 31, 2023, Abu Dhabi Airports announced that the new terminal, now named Terminal A, would open in 'early November' the same year. It was also reported that
Etihad Airways, the main carrier based in the airport, would move its operations to the new terminal once opened, alongside other airlines based in Abu Dhabi, including
Air Arabia Abu Dhabi and
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi. A scene in the film
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One was filmed at the terminal before it officially opened. On 31 October 2023, the terminal was officially opened. All operating airlines shifted their operations gradually to the new terminal from the former three terminals. Etihad operated the first flight from the terminal on 31 October. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi and 15 other international airlines started to operate to and from the new terminal on 1 November. From 9 November, Etihad Airways operated 16 daily flights before completing its transition to this terminal on 14 November, together with Air Arabia Abu Dhabi and ten other airlines. From 14 November onwards, all airlines began operating from Terminal A. As part of the construction of the new terminal various biometric systems were installed. In July 2024 the airport inaugurated the "Smart Travel" project, which uses biometric data collected on arrival to the UAE to validate the identities of passengers at the stations, circumventing the need to check tickets and travel documents. It was first launched on some flights, mainly those operated by Etihad, and it is planned to be extended across the airport by 2025.
Former terminals The airport formerly consisted of three terminals from different periods which had been significantly expanded over time. They were replaced by the new Terminal A in early 2024. ;Terminal 1 This was the oldest facility, featuring a bi-level arrivals and departures area. The nine main gates (3–11) were equipped with
jetbridges and located in a circular gate area while the check-in and arrivals facilities were located in a separate main building. There were also several bus boarding gates (gates 14–22), and passengers whose planes arrive at a remote stand were bused here. Terminal 3 was capable of handling the
Airbus A380s, and was used almost entirely by
Etihad Airways. ;City terminals Until 2019, a check-in facility was operated in downtown Abu Dhabi, for travelers who wanted to check in at the downtown city centre before they travelled to the airport. This facility, known as the City Terminal, resembled an airport terminal building with lounge and transport facilities. After having checked in at the City Terminal, travellers could arrive at the airport just one hour before the departure of their flight. A further check-in facility was operated by Etihad Airways at the Etihad Travel Mall on the outskirts of Dubai near Noor Bank metro station. ==Facilities==