Inside The $3 Billion New Terminal of Abu Dhabi Airport

Abu Dhabi Airport Terminal A has opened. I visited the brand new terminal that completely changed the travel experience.

Covering 742,000 square meters, it is one of the largest airport terminals in the world. The $3 billion building, which is triple the size of the old terminal, is set to double the current airport's capacity and manage up to 45 million passengers per year. It's capable of handling 79 planes at once and 11,000 passengers per hour.

Stands at the center of the new terminal at Abu Dhabi airport is Sana Al‐Nour, a unique structure and the largest public artwork in the Middle East. The departure area features 12 check-in rows with self check-in counter. There are dedicated check-in areas for Etihad Business and First Class passengers.

At the airside, I visited the new Etihad Airways First Class and Business Class lounge in Terminal A. The impressive new lounge spans three floors of Terminal A’s. Check out all the lounge features in my video. Etihad’s First Class lounge features restaurant-style dining and private rooms.

Abu Dhabi International Airport is being renamed as Zayed International Airport, with the official new name to take effect from February 9.