Dubai airport sets new traffic record...

World’s busiest airport sees nearly 6% annual rise in passengers

The UAE’s Dubai International airport (DXB) welcomed a record 92.3 million passengers in 2024, marking the busiest-ever year for the airport.

An annual increase of nearly 6%, the numbers surpass DXB’s previous record set in 2018 when 66 million passengers passed through its terminals.

DXB recorded 300,000 flight movements, served 106 airline customers and operated flights to 272 cities in 107 countries in 2024.

“This milestone highlights Dubai’s growing global appeal and the tireless efforts of the entire airport community, who demonstrate our single-minded approach to deliver excellent levels of efficiency, innovation and exceptional guest service,” Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports said in a LinkedIn post.

Griffiths added that despite experiencing one of the most challenging periods in aviation history, more than 700 million people have been through Dubai International in the last decade, more than twice the population of the USA.

These figures cement DXB’s position as the world’s busiest airport for international travel.

According to OAG, the leading data platform for the global travel industry, in December 2024 DXB overtook Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) to be the World’s Busiest Airport with 5.3 million seats, a 5% increase in seats per day compared to last month.

Dubai International is now predicting its busiest January ever, with the daily average of 287,000 guests passing through DXB 8% up on the same period in 2024, and 6% higher than pre-pandemic levels.

Dubai Airports Chief Operating Officer, Majed Al Joker, said it expects to handle more than 23.2 million passengers this quarter, bringing the total number of passengers for the year to 91.9 million.

In a post on X, Sheikh Mohammed reiterated that the UAE will be investing heavily in aviation in the next decade. “Dubai Airports over the next ten years: AED128 billion to reshape the international aviation scene with Emirati standards.”

In 2024, a US$35 billion expansion plan was announced for Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC) as part of the emirate’s vision for the aviation landscape. Over the next 10 years, DWC will serve 150 million passengers a year, and eventually have capacity for 260 million passengers.

For more information, visit dubaiairports.ae

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