Al Ain: the little-known UAE airport’s part in Iran conflict
- Abu Dhabi’s second international airport
- TUI evacuates 250 to Hanover
- Serves 100,000 passengers annually
Cast in the shadow of the airport behemoths of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Al Ain International Airport is playing its part in the evacuation process of passengers amid the ongoing Iranian conflict.
Germany-based TUI Group hastened the departure of 250 guests at the weekend on board two Boeing 737-8 aircraft that flew from Al Ain to Hanover, with a short technical stopover in Heraklion, Greece.
In addition to German guests, the passengers included citizens of other EU countries – Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Poland – as well as travellers from the United Kingdom.
Located 18 kilometres northwest of Al Ain City, Al Ain International Airport is Abu Dhabi’s second airport serving global destinations, operating since 1994. The population of Al Ain is estimated to be just under 700,000, according to the latest figures from independent data platform World Population Review.
The airport serves more than 100,000 passengers on average annually. This compares to neighbouring Dubai International Airport, which handled 95 million passengers in 2025.
Further reading:
- Evacuation flight demand surges during Iran conflict
- Iran conflict sends airline operating costs soaring
- Oman contends with Iran war passenger backlog
It is one of five operated by Abu Dhabi Airports company, which includes the main international hub Zayed International Airport, and is seen as a key component in the UAE’s first aerospace cluster, which was established in Al Ain in 2008 by Abu Dhabi Airports and the emirate’s sovereign fund Mubadala.
Additionally, Al Ain International Airport houses both military and civilian training facilities and currently accommodates Etihad Aviation Training, Khalifa Bin Zayed Flying Academy and EDGE Horizon International Flight Academy.
Nearly 600 aircraft movements usually take place at the airport on a daily basis, made up of both regular and training flights.
Al Ain quick facts
- One terminal
- 10 check-in desks, including one for business class travellers
- Three gates
- A 4,000m runway and a parallel 4,000m taxiway that can double as a runway as needed
- Serves more than 100,000 passengers a year
- One cargo terminal with a total floor area of 2,000sqm
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