Top Activities in Abu Dhabi International Airport During a Layover

A flight docking for the departure at Abu Dhabi airport.

Got a long layover in Abu Dhabi and wondering how to kill time without getting bored out of your mind? You’re not alone; with Etihad and other airlines routing tonnes of flights to Europe, the US, and beyond through Abu Dhabi, a long layover here is something most Indian travellers run into at least once. And if your layover stretches beyond a few hours, sometimes even crossing 12 hours, sitting around at the gate can feel like a complete waste of time. This is exactly where knowing the best Activities in Abu Dhabi International Airport can turn things around, giving you plenty to do instead of just watching the clock. 

Abu Dhabi International Airport is one of the world’s most traveller-friendly airports, offering world-class facilities and stunning architecture that make even long layovers comfortable. If you have a longer transit, you can even step outside the airport with a UAE transit visa and explore the city. Let us explore the top activities in Abu Dhabi International Airport that can make your transit enjoyable and memorable.

About Abu Dhabi International Airport

Dhabi International airport

The Abu Dhabi International Airport is the single main airport in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. It is located 30.5 km away from the main city of Abu Dhabi. It serves an average of 20 million passengers in a year. This particular airport has more than 30 aircraft companies that are operating, through which it connects more than 120 destinations in over 60 countries. It is the second-largest airport in the UAE and also the fastest-growing aviation hub in the world. They are looking at the growth of footfalls in the airport to increase by 45 million in the coming decade. This is one of the best airports in the world and one of the top-rated by Travellers too.

Activities at Abu Dhabi International Airport

Abu Dhabi is one of the best-constructed airports in the world. In this Airport, there is everything that is there for the travellers to rest during their long transits. People come from various countries to catch their connecting flights. While they are spending their long transits in the airport, they can do loads of things for them occupied. There are 3 terminals at Abu Dhabi International Airport. 1&2 terminals accommodate passengers from other airlines. The 3rd terminal is exclusively reserved for Etihad Airlines departures. Each terminal offers a wide range of activities to do so that the people will not be struck with boredom for a long time. So if you have to kill at the airport, you will be able to pass the time with ease here. So, here are the activities that you can do at the airport.

Grab a bite at the Food Court

Italian Cuisine food

There are plenty of restaurants at Abu Dhabi airport. You can check out many places inside the airport to get the food you like. The Bricco Cafe in Terminal 1 and the Negroni restaurant in Terminal 3 are the best places to go grab a bite if you are an Italian food enthusiast. If you crave more Asian cuisine, then you can hit the Yum Cha restaurant, which serves authentic Asian food. Hit up the Urban Food Market, a breakfast cafe, if you feel peckish after a long flight in the morning. This cafe can be found in Terminal 3. Transit passengers can check out the ‘To Go’ cafe, as it sells small snacks for your snack cravings. This place also has good food and beverages for travellers. You can find this in Terminal 1.

All these snack bars and breakfast cafes can be easily used to kill your time on your transit. Just a small disadvantage is that this food can be a bit expensive. These are great spots in Abu Dhabi for you to spend your time if in case you have a short layover time.

Also Read: Indian restaurants in Abu Dhabi

Shop Duty-Free at Abu Dhabi International Airport

Duty free shopping at the Abu Dhabi airport.

Browse through some of the most impressive, unique and antique sets of handbags. Also, have scents of the top brands of perfumes in the Abu Dhabi International Airport. It gives you a whole new exquisite and new collections of handbags and top varied fragrances. Get one of the best bargain deals on the prices of certain products at the Abu Dhabi Duty-free shops. From high-end products to small items for snacking, they are made available at this airport for the shopaholics to go and immerse themselves in the shopping experience.

Don’t worry about the cash for your onward journey from the Abu Dhabi airport, as there are plenty of ATMs around for you to withdraw money from. In that way, it will be easier for you to withdraw UAE Dirhams.

Read More: Shopping Malls in  Abu Dhab

Relax at Premium Lounges in Abu Dhabi International Airport

Airport Lounges

After long flights, our bodies start to take a toll, and it becomes important for us to rest. There are some premium lounges that you can go ahead and take a rest in. These premium lounges provide complimentary drinks and snacks. Some of these lounges are Al Ghazal, Al Reem, Etihad and Al Dubai lounges. They work on either a pre-book basis or a pay-and-enter model. For instance, the Etihad lounge needs pre-booking to be done, while Al Dubai works under the pay-and-enter model; meanwhile, First class and Business class passengers do not need to pre-book to access the lounges. Other than these, there is a children’s playing area in Terminal 1 and a Burgundy smoking lounge in each terminal.

Explore Abu Dhabi During a Long Layover

Do you have a long layover of more than 8 hours? Not to worry. You can get out of the Airport and visit some of the iconic places in Abu Dhabi. View the world’s largest chandelier and carpet at the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. See some of the best artworks by Vincent Van Gogh and Leonardo Da Vinci at the world-renowned Louvre Abu Dhabi. Yas Mall is a short drive away from the airport. ‘Shoppers’ paradise’ is another name for the Mall. Experience the thrill at Ferrari World and Warner Bros, which is just 15 minutes away from the airport. Let your long wait be something fruitful and not go to waste while in transit.

Read More: Day Trips from Abu Dhabi

Sleep in Airport Sleeping Pods During Your Layover

Tired of waiting for the flights

Tired after a long flight or waiting for the next flight? Walking from one terminal to another is tiring. There are sleeping pods for the travellers. They can snooze off here for some time to recoup their freshness. Like for travellers, there are even charging pods for your electrical devices. They have a baggage-storing facility, so you can take a nap without any fear of your bags getting stolen.

Read More:  Things to do in Abu Dhabi

Hope you will find all these tips to be useful. Abu Dhabi airport is not only well built but also well maintained. Travellers have the comfort of resting and exploring the city. Pickyourtrail offers some of the best UAE experiences, and check on the Pickyourtrail website for some of the best Abu Dhabi tour packages and also for more fresh content on travel.

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