Old Airport Park Abu Dhabi: Location, Facilities and How to Visit

Old Airport Park sits on Abu Dhabi Island, directly opposite Zayed Sports City, and reopened in early 2025 after a full renovation by Abu Dhabi City Municipality. It’s one of the more straightforward parks in Abu Dhabi to recommend: a jogging track, a proper kids’ play area, a multi-purpose sports court, and enough shaded seating to actually sit down for a while.

• Overview
• Location
• Facilities
• Things to do at Old Airport Park
• Parking near Old Airport Park
• How to Go to Old Airport Park
• Apartments for rent near Al Rawda
• Frequently Asked Questions

Overview

Old Airport Park, also referred to as Airport Park in Abu Dhabi City Municipality’s own material, covers roughly 100,000 square metres in the Al Rawda area of Abu Dhabi Island. Abu Dhabi City Municipality completed a comprehensive redevelopment of the park in February 2025, rebuilding it around walking and jogging tracks, sports facilities, and shaded family space rather than the older, more basic layout it replaced.

Location

Old Airport Park is in Al Rawda, Abu Dhabi Island, directly opposite Zayed Sports City.

Facilities

Following the 2025 renovation, Abu Dhabi City Municipality lists the park as having:

• 1.1 km of rehabilitated walkways
• A 1.3 km jogging track
• Children’s play areas, including two play structures designed for people of determination
• A multi-purpose sports court
• 10 dedicated barbecue areas
• Refurbished shaded seating and renovated restrooms
• Around 60 Ghaf trees planted for shade, plus new directional signage throughout

Things to do at Old Airport Park

• Walk or jog the 1.3 km track, or use the wider walkway network for a slower loop.
• Bring the kids to the play area, including the accessible play structures.
• Book one of the 10 barbecue spots for a weekend cookout.
• Get a pick-up game going on the multi-purpose sports court.
• Sit under one of the new Ghaf trees or in the shaded seating areas, especially useful once the afternoon heat sets in.

Parking near Old Airport Park

Abu Dhabi City Municipality’s renovation announcement doesn’t mention a dedicated car park at the site, so treat the street parking around Al Rawda as standard Mawaqif territory and check the signage on arrival rather than assuming a free lot.

Free parking in Abu Dhabi

Across most Mawaqif zones, parking is free on Sundays and public holidays. Outside those days, paid hours run from 8 am to midnight, and residents with a valid permit park free in their own residential zone from 9 pm to 8 am.

How to pay parking in Abu Dhabi

Standard bays cost AED 2 an hour or AED 15 for a full day, up to 24 hours. Premium bays cost AED 3 an hour, capped at 4 hours. You can pay by SMS to 3009, through the Darb app, at a Mawaqif payment machine, with a rechargeable Mawaqif card, or via TAMM.

For the full breakdown of zones, permits and fines, Property Finder’s own Mawaqif guide covers it in more detail.

How to Go to Old Airport Park

By car, the park is on Abu Dhabi Island directly opposite Zayed Sports City, so any route that gets you to Zayed Sports City gets you to the park entrance. Taxis and ride-hailing apps (Careem, Uber) will also take you straight to the gate.

Apartments for rent near Al Rawda

Old Airport Park sits inside Al Rawda, a residential pocket of Abu Dhabi Island best known for mid-rise apartment buildings rather than villas, and for being an easy walk or short drive from Zayed Sports City and the rest of central Abu Dhabi Island.

If you’re considering the area, browse apartments for rent in Al Rawda or set an alert for properties for sale in Al Rawda on Property Finder.

Frequently Asked Questions

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