Dubai (AFP) – Dubai International Airport welcomed a record 46 million passengers in the first half of this year, authorities said on Tuesday, despite disruptions due to the Iran-Israel war. The facility marked its busiest first half on record with a 2.3 percent year-on-year growth, Dubai Airports said in a statement, “despite temporary regional airspace disruptions in May and June.”
During the 12-day Iran-Israel war, airlines cancelled flights to many Middle East destinations as some governments closed their airspace. In the first six months of 2025, the average monthly traffic stood at around 7.7 million passengers or 254,000 daily travellers. “Based on our performance to date and a positive outlook, we expect the annual traffic to reach 96 million this year, bringing us closer to the symbolic 100 million milestone,” said Dubai Airports chief executive Paul Griffiths.
In 2024, Dubai International Airport recorded its highest annual passenger traffic in history, totalling 92.3 million. “January was the busiest month of the period and also set a new monthly record, with 8.5 million guests,” said the statement. “As we enter the second half of the year, travel activity is expected to accelerate,” it added.
The top countries for passenger traffic to and from Dubai were India, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom. The Emirati city, located between Asia, Europe and Africa, has been ranked the world’s busiest air hub for international passengers for a decade.
Dubai is planning a $35 billion expansion and relocation of the airport to Al Maktoum International, on the city’s outskirts, in 2032. The new airport will be scaled up in phases, with an eventual capacity of about 240 million — expected to be the world’s largest by a wide margin.
© 2024 AFP
