Zayed International Airport Attains Level 3 Customer Experience Accreditation By ACI World

Achieving Level 3 accreditation in the Airports Council International (ACI) Customer Experience Accreditation programme, Zayed International Airport (AUH) has underscored its dedication to providing exceptional guest experiences.

This prestigious recognition, awarded in July 2025, signifies an advancement from the previously attained Levels 1 and 2 accreditations, both of which have been successfully maintained. The airport's focus on making guest satisfaction central to its operations has been acknowledged, highlighting its commitment to weaving the customer experience into the very fabric of its organisational structure.

The journey to this significant milestone was underlined by the airport's robust passenger growth, with 15.5 million travelers passing through its gates in the first half of 2025. This 13.2% increase from the previous year adds to the impressive growth of 28.1% in 2024 and 44.5% in 2023. As the numbers of global travelers continue to rise, AUH is proactively enhancing its customer experience strategy to surpass the expectations of its increasingly diverse passenger base.

In pursuit of Level 3 accreditation, the airport initiated several key projects that received high praise from ACI. One such initiative was the formation of dedicated passenger focus groups. These groups provided valuable insights into travelers' expectations, behaviors, and preferences, enabling the airport to tailor its services more effectively.

Additionally, a guest shadowing programme was implemented, allowing employees to experience the airport's journey from the perspective of a passenger. This initiative was instrumental in fostering a deeper understanding of travelers' needs and directly contributed to improvements in service delivery.

Abu Dhabi Airports demonstrated its commitment to transparency and stakeholder engagement through the regular publication of Voice of the Customer reports. These reports, shared across various departments via an internal platform, facilitated a better understanding of customer feedback and encouraged a collaborative approach towards enhancing the guest experience.

"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," stated Elena Sorlini, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports.

The ACI Customer Experience Accreditation stands as the sole global programme offering an in-depth assessment of how airports incorporate customer experience into their operations. It evaluates how airports understand, manage, and integrate guest experience into their strategic vision. AUH's achievement of Level 3 accreditation reflects its effective engagement with employees, stakeholders, and passengers, fostering a culture of shared responsibility and ongoing improvement.

The airport's initiatives signal not just progress but a shift towards integrating customer-centric thinking into daily operations. This evolution embodies Abu Dhabi Airports' commitment to refining every aspect of the guest journey, ensuring that innovations, initiatives, and partnerships are all anchored in service excellence and designed with travelers in mind.