President Trump arrived earlier today in Abu Dhabi as part of his first overseas diplomatic trip of his second term. His visit previously included stops in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. After arriving in the United Arab Emirates, the President disembarked in a rather unusual way — Air Force One used a jet bridge!
To our knowledge, this is the first time that we’ve seen Air Force One utilize a jet bridge while the president was aboard. Air Force One, the Boeing VC-25A, is a modified Boeing 747-200. While airlines no longer utilize the variant, most wide-body jet bridges can accommodate the type.
Associated Press video shows President Trump’s arrival to the VVIP terminal. In the video below you can see the entrance door of Air Force One at the end of the luxurious jet bridge. The telescoping jet bridge opens up directly into the luxury terminal reserved for the Royal Family’s use.
The Use of Jet Bridges For Air Force One Is Rare
Presidents typically board and disembark from Air Force One either via carpeted air stairs from the L1 door or via a smaller built-in set of stairs below the main deck. At Avgeekery, we’ve never seen Air Force One use a jetway before.
Our search online returned zero photos of such an occurrence before. This makes sense as US president’s aircraft typically park on a military ramp, remote FBO parking spot, or at an isolated ramp at an international airport.
Luxury terminals with jet bridges are very rare. Only a few locations, primarily in the Middle East, feature VVIP terminals with jet bridges. With extreme temperatures in the region and large fleets of large private jets, such a feature is a luxury but it also makes sense.
It Wasn’t Any Typical Jet Bridge or Your Typical Terminal
Air Force One arrived at the Presidential Flight Guest Reception Terminal at Abu Dhabi International Airport. The terminal was built specifically for the Royal Family of Abu Dhabi. Unlike your typical terminal, this jet bridge doesn’t host a gate at the end of it. Instead, it features a luxurious reception hall that very few people will ever see.
Luxury Terminal Features Jet Bridges and Plenty of Ammenities For VVIPs
The 10,000 square meter terminal features space for reception, gala space, meeting space, dining, and rest facilities for distinguished guests. It also has a telescoping jet bridge so that Royal Family can board and disembark from the terminal while avoiding the intense desert heat.
In addition to the luxurious airport accommodations, the terminal also hosts less exotic features like a baggage system, kitchen, staff accomodations, and covered parking.
Air Force One Also Received Fighter Escort From Three Different Nations
This trip was also notable for another avgeek reason. On each leg of the tour, Air Force One received fighter escort from each of the host nations. Saudi Arabia first escorted the venerable Boeing VC-25A into Riyadh with a flight of F-15SA’s.
Qatar then escorted Air Force One on arrival into Doha with their own F-15s.
President Trump’s latest stop aboard Air Force One’s to Abu Dhabi in the UAE was escorted by Emirate F-16s and Mirage fighter jets.
🚨 ⚡️ #Urgent | Les F-16 émiratis et les jets Mirage sont dans les airs, fournissant une escorte honorifique à Air Force One de Trump en route vers Abu Dhabi. pic.twitter.com/MjnsmRvPmG
— Le Monde Multipolaire (@Bilow_Media) May 15, 2025
An honorary fighter escort for Air Force One by a host nation is extremely rare but visually stunning way to recognize a visiting head of state. This is the first documented honorary fighter escort of Air Force One in the Middle East region since President Nixon received a fighter escort in 1974 during his visit to Syria. While some media have reported that President Reagan received such an honor, there are no confirmed stories or pictures of the event.
