Dubai airport is world’s busiest again after record passenger numbers

Dubai International Airport has cemented its status as the world's busiest air hub, announcing a record 95.2 million passengers transited through its terminals last year.

This impressive milestone highlights the emirate's sustained economic boom, fuelled by a robust resurgence in global travel and Dubai's increasing allure for international tourism, business ventures, and real estate investment.

The airport's remarkable post-pandemic growth trajectory has closely mirrored the wider expansion of the city's visitor economy.

Dubai itself reported a significant 5 per cent increase in tourists last year, welcoming an unprecedented 19.6 million people – marking a third consecutive year of record-breaking arrivals.

This success is deeply intertwined with "Dubai Inc.", the powerful network of state-owned and state-linked enterprises, with the prominent long-haul carrier Emirates operating as a crucial cornerstone from the state-owned airport.

Paul Griffiths, the chief executive of Dubai Airports, said consistently high passenger volumes mean that record traffic "is no longer an exception, but part of its operating reality."

Dubai airport recorded 92.3 million passengers in 2024, a figure that followed 86.9 million in the preceding year. Prior to the global pandemic's disruption to air travel, the airport handled 86.3 million passengers in 2019, building on 89.1 million recorded in 2018.

India remained the top destination for people flying out of Dubai International last year, with 11.9 million passengers, followed by Saudi Arabia with 7.5 million and the United Kingdom at 6.3 million. The facility served 108 airlines flying to 291 cities in 110 countries.

A real-estate boom and the city’s highest-ever tourism numbers have made Dubai a destination as well as a layover. However, the city is now grappling with increasing traffic and costs that are pressuring both its Emirati citizens and the foreign residents who power its economy.

Dubai plans to move its airport operations to Al Maktoum International Airport, about 45 kilometers (28 miles) away. Al Maktoum, which opened in 2010 with one terminal, served as a parking lot for Emirates’ double-decker Airbus A380s and other aircraft during the pandemic, but it has since returned to life with cargo, commercial and private flights. It also hosts the biennial Dubai Air Show and has a vast desert in which to expand.

Authorities plan to move operations in 2032 to the city-state’s second airport after a roughly $35 billion upgrade.