Zayed International Airport (AUH) has achieved Level 3 accreditation in the Airports Council International (ACI) Customer Experience Accreditation programme, a significant milestone that marks the airport’s commitment to delivering world-class guest experiences.
Awarded in July 2025, the Level 3 accreditation represents a major upgrade from the previous Levels 1 and 2, both of which have also been successfully renewed. It reflects the airport’s commitment to placing guests at the heart of its operations and recognises the progress made in embedding customer experience into every layer of the organisation.
The accreditation follows a period of sustained traffic growth, with AUH welcoming 15.5 million passengers in the first half of 2025 – a 13.2% year-on-year growth, building on 28.1% growth in 2024 and 44.5% in 2023. As passenger volumes continue their upward trajectory, the airport is scaling its customer experience strategy to meet and exceed the expectations of an expanding global traveller base.
Elena Sorlini, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, said: “This recognition from ACI comes as we celebrate 17 consecutive quarters of growth, including a strong performance in the first half of 2025. As we expand connectivity to meet rising demand, we remain sharply focused on enhancing the guest experience. Achieving Level 3 accreditation reflects our ability to deliver both growth and quality, ensuring that our customer experience evolves in step with our success.”
The ACI Customer Experience Accreditation is the only global initiative of its kind that provides a comprehensive evaluation of how customer experience is integrated across airport operations. It assesses how effectively airports understand, manage, and embed guest experience into their overarching strategy.
To attain Level 3, Zayed International Airport introduced a series of targeted initiatives that were met with strong commendation from ACI. Among these was the launch of dedicated passenger focus groups, designed to capture in-depth insights into the expectations, behaviours, and preferences of travellers.
Another notable initiative was the implementation of a guest shadowing programme, enabling employees to observe and experience the full airport journey from a passenger’s perspective – fostering a deeper understanding of traveller needs and directly informed enhancements in service delivery.
The airport also strengthened internal transparency through the regular publication of its Voice of the Customer reports, which are shared across departments via its internal platform. In addition, Abu Dhabi Airports’ teams ensured close alignment with key stakeholders and service partners, embedding customer experience within a wider operational ecosystem.
Employees, stakeholders, and passengers are now actively involved in shaping the guest experience, with customer-centric thinking woven into daily operations. This evolution signals tangible progress and reinforces the airport’s drive to foster a culture of shared ownership and continuous enhancement.
This recognition reaffirms Abu Dhabi Airports’ dedication to elevating every touchpoint of the guest journey, ensuring every innovation, initiative, and partnership is rooted in service excellence and traveller-centric design.
