ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates is strengthening its role as a regional and global center for aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul, supported by a large aviation market and expanding fleets operated by Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai and Air Arabia. Industry research cited in recent sector updates put the UAE’s aircraft MRO market at about $3.06 billion in 2025. Separate research has estimated the UAE accounted for about 2.8% of global aircraft MRO revenues in 2024, reflecting the scale of activity handled in-country.
Demand for heavy checks, component repairs, cabin upgrades and aircraft technical support is being driven by the country’s high-volume international networks and wide mix of aircraft types. Etihad Airways said it carried 22.4 million passengers in 2025 and expanded its operating fleet to 127 aircraft after adding 29 jets during the year. Large, fast-turnaround schedules at UAE hubs require extensive maintenance capacity, including line maintenance at airports and longer-duration work in dedicated hangars.
Specialised zones have also expanded the industrial footprint that supports airline and third-party maintenance. During 2025, Dubai South’s Mohammed bin Rashid Aerospace Hub signed agreements with Avia Solutions Group, Atherion Aerospace, UUDS, Tariq Al Futtaim Group and Al Burj Holding, and said new facilities were inaugurated for Satys, Tim Aerospace and RH Aero. Dubai South also cited a new built-to-suit facility for GE at the hub and highlighted recent launches including the Sky Support Complex, a 16,661-square-metre landside facility with 14 units.
Infrastructure and free zone expansion
Dubai has also disclosed large-scale engineering developments aimed at increasing heavy maintenance capacity. Emirates has announced a $950 million engineering complex at Dubai World Central, with Phase 1 expected to deliver eight maintenance hangars and one paint hangar capable of handling aircraft up to Code F, including the A380. The project description also includes an engine run-up facility, around 20 support workshops, storage areas and administrative space, with construction and delivery milestones set out in the airline’s public project statement.
At Dubai South, flydubai has advanced its own in-country maintenance buildout. The carrier said it broke ground on an Aircraft Maintenance Centre at Dubai South on July 2, 2025, describing a 32,600-square-metre site that will include an aircraft hangar, support workshops and office buildings. flydubai said the facility is set to complete construction in the last quarter of 2026 and linked the project to the carrier’s growing fleet and network, alongside a broader expansion of internal technical capabilities.
Engine maintenance and testing capacity
In Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, engine work and testing have been highlighted as key parts of the UAE’s MRO growth. Sanad and Abu Dhabi Airports have announced a long-term Musataha land lease agreement securing two plots totaling 70,000 square metres at Al Ain Aerospace Park, intended to house a Pratt & Whitney GTF engine MRO center and a twin test cell complex. Sanad has also said it awarded Safran Test Cells a contract for the design, supply and construction of the test cell facility, describing two 12-by-12-metre test cells within the complex.
The UAE’s aviation MRO activity sits within a global market estimated at around $90 billion by multiple industry studies, with demand tied to rising passenger volumes and continued fleet utilisation. National carriers, free-zone hubs and aerospace firms have reported ongoing additions of hangars, workshops, supply-chain facilities and engine infrastructure, alongside recruitment and training to staff those operations. The sector is also underpinned by the UAE’s location on major air routes linking Asia, Europe and Africa, and by MRO services that the country’s providers export to international customers. – By Content Syndication Services.