Abu Dhabi Sees Record-Breaking Surge in Flight and Hotel Bookings

Abu Dhabi is seeing record-breaking flight and hotel bookings from December 1-8, driven by the UAE's 54th National Day celebrations and the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (December 5-7, 2025). Flight bookings to Zayed International Airport jumped 8.78% compared to the same period last year, with a notable shift toward couples and families attending the race.

Hotel demand hit record levels during the race period, surpassing last year's numbers. Europe, Middle East, and Africa dominated bookings with 44% of total hotel reservations - a significant increase from 2024 thanks to higher demand from the UK and UAE markets.

UK visitors led hotel bookings at 21%, followed by UAE residents at 13%. The data comes from Sojern, a travel and tourism analytics platform, based on information through December 1.

Most race fans are planning short stays of four to six nights centered around race days. Arrivals peak between November 30 and December 4, with the highest influx on December 3. Departures surge on Monday, December 8 - the business day after the race - then gradually decline throughout the week.

About 72% of travelers plan stays between 2-7 nights, treating the Grand Prix as a week-long vacation. The remaining 28% opt for longer 8-14 night trips.

For flight bookings, the UK again topped the list with 32.07% of travelers, followed by Germany (6.7%), Russia (4.98%), the US (4.3%), and Switzerland (3.8%).

Here's where it gets interesting: solo travelers, while still the largest group, dropped to less than half of 2025 bookings compared to two-thirds in the entire 2024 season. Couples now make up about 40% of trips, and family bookings have climbed into double digits.

"We're seeing a shift toward more group travel and couples travel this year, suggesting the Formula 1 experience is expanding beyond individual sports tourism to become a shared entertainment and lifestyle moment," said Stewart Smith, Director of Corporate and International Destinations at Sojern.

Last year's race drew 192,000 spectators over four days. Early indicators suggest 2025 will exceed that number, with visitors expected from 105 countries. This reinforces the event's position as a global entertainment destination, not just a sporting event.

The trend toward family and couple attendance signals Formula 1's broader appeal beyond hardcore racing fans. Abu Dhabi is capitalizing on this shift, positioning the Grand Prix as part of a wider entertainment experience that coincides with National Day celebrations.