Dubai Airshow is the largest aviation exhibition in the Middle East, held every two years at the specialized exhibition center Dubai World Central under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates. This is more than just an event – it is where the future of the global aerospace industry will be determined. “We guarantee a great experience. Excitement, ideas, inspiration – Dubai Airshow has it all!” – the organizers advertise their brainchild.
And these are not stock words. The air show is a combination of demonstrating new developments in civil and military aviation, technological achievements in the space industry and business activities of aircraft manufacturing companies. And it is justifiable that today, Dubai Airshow is considered one of the three largest aviation exhibitions in the world along with France's Le Bourget and England's Farnborough, as well as one of the world's important events in the field of aviation, attracting thousands of experts from different parts of the world.
Its history began in 1986 with a small event called Arab Air, which later developed into an international event. The first full Dubai Airshow took place in 1989, attracting 200 participants and 25 aircraft. Since then, it has evolved from a regional exhibition into a global platform where contracts worth billions of dollars are awarded, the latest technological advances are presented and trends in aviation and aerospace development are identified. Key developments in its history have been the continued growth in visitor and exhibitor numbers, as well as the introduction of record contracts, especially in recent years, highlighting the growing influence of the Middle East in the global aviation market.
Every year, Dubai attracts more and more airlines, equipment suppliers and investors. Accompanying that are large contracts to purchase aircraft and technology for the defense and civil sectors. For example, in 2013, a record number of deals were signed with a total value of $206 billion. In 2023, the contract volume is smaller – 101.5 billion USD, but in 2025 a significant increase in investments is expected, especially in the SAF (eco-fuel) and high-speed aircraft segments.
This year's Dubai Airshow takes place from November 17 to 21, and is expected to feature 1,500 exhibitors from 47 countries. Compared to Dubai Airshow 2023, the exhibition area will be expanded by 8,000 square meters and more than 90 innovative startups will be placed in 20 booths. In addition, more than 350 speakers will speak on 12 topics, discussing sustainable development, cargo transportation and aviation digitalization. Corporate matchmaking sessions are planned. This year, six new themes have been added, including modern maintenance and repair strategies, digital disruption in airport and airline operations, cybersecurity, emerging airport technology, inclusive workforce development, and the Future of Flight: Empowering Women program.
According to the organizers' forecasts, the event will be attended by 148,000 experts. There will be more than 200 aircraft in the sky and static parking lot, including the latest business jets, commercial aircraft, military aircraft and drones. Flying shows, including aerobatic teams, and educational programs for professional youth (Future Day) were prepared for visitors.
As for the participants, based on the experience of previous salons, we can confidently predict that all the world's leading carriers will participate in Dubai Airshow 2025. Aviation giants such as Airbus and Boeing will present their latest developments. The demonstration of new and promising aircraft such as China's Comac C919 is very likely as it seeks to strengthen its position in the international market. In the military segment, American (Lockheed Martin, Boeing), European and Russian manufacturers have traditionally had a strong presence. Leading countries in the space sector such as Russia, USA, France, Germany, UK, China and UAE will display their pavilions. It is expected that the focus will be on sustainability (transition to carbon neutral technology) and innovation, such as AI solutions for the aviation industry.
Particular attention during the exhibition will traditionally focus on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies, where Russian, Israeli, American, Turkish and Chinese companies will demonstrate their latest achievements. As part of the UAV Summit and the new eVTOL flying display area, visitors and experts will get to see flying taxis and drones, including projects expected to be introduced in Dubai in 2026.
The new generation of electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft that do not require a runway are of particular interest. The main goals that eVTOL technology addresses are to eliminate traffic congestion in megacities, reduce travel time on important routes and radically reduce carbon emissions in air travel. With increasing urbanization and increasing traffic volumes, traditional ground infrastructure is reaching its capacity limits and eVTOL is opening up a third dimension to urban transportation, providing the ability to move quickly on congested highways.
The space sector, including satellite and sub-orbital companies, will also be a key theme. The corresponding pavilion, organized with the support of the UAE government's space agency, will expand its program: a two-day forum, acquaintance with real astronauts, space flight simulations and presentations on groundbreaking space exploration technologies have been announced.
Aviation industry experts, commenting on the upcoming event, talk about some main trends. They are expecting large new orders from Middle Eastern airlines such as Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways for wide-body aircraft. Analysts are focusing on sustainability issues, looking at new technologies in the areas of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), hydrogen engines and electric propulsion. In addition, the post-pandemic recovery of the narrow-body aircraft market, the development of artificial intelligence technology in aviation and increased competition in the mid-range aircraft market are also discussed.
