United Arab Emirates: Dubai International (DXB) welcomed 46 million guests in the first six months of 2025, marking its busiest first half on record.

The 2.3 per cent year-on-year growth underscores DXB’s resilience, the continued strength of Dubai’s aviation sector and the airport’s ability to maintain high performance despite temporary regional airspace disruptions in May and June. This achievement reinforces DXB’s vital role in connecting Dubai to the world and supporting the city's broader economic progress.

In the second quarter alone, DXB served 22.5 million guests, an increase of 3.1 percent over the same period last year. April emerged as the busiest month of the quarter and the most active April on record, with 8 million guests passing through the terminals.

Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said, “DXB’s continued growth through a period of regional challenges highlights the strength of Dubai and the UAE, the agility of our operations, and the commitment of our airport community. The one DXB mindset once again enabled us to manage disruption while elevating the guest experience and ensuring seamless global connectivity."

He added that as the second half of the year begins, travel activity is projected to gain momentum, starting with a surge during the late-summer peak and continuing into a winter season marked by major global events in entertainment, sports, and business

A standout moment will be the Dubai Airshow 2025, which is set to surpass previous records and showcase the bold vision shaping the future of aviation and aerospace.

"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,” Griffiths noted.

Average monthly traffic in H1 stood at approximately 7.7 million, with daily volumes averaging 254,000. January was the busiest month of the period and also set a new monthly record, with 8.5 million guests.

DXB handled 222,000 total flights during the first half of the year, while the load factor reached 76 percent. A total of 41.8 million bags were processed, with 91 percent delivered within 45 minutes on arrival. The mishandled baggage rate remained low at just 2 bags per 1,000 guests, significantly outperforming the 2024 industry average of 6.3 reported by SITA, the IT provider for the air transport industry.

The airport is on track to process over 85 million bags by year-end, surpassing its previous record of 81.2 million set in 2024. The busiest baggage days were between January 3-5, with daily volumes reaching 300,000 bags.

Efficiency at key guest touchpoints also remained consistently high. In the first half, 99.2 percent of guests cleared departure passport control in under 10 minutes, 98.4 per cent cleared arrivals in under 15 minutes, and 98.7 percent passed through security checks in under 5 minutes.

India remained DXB’s largest country market in H1 with 5.9 million guests, followed by Saudi Arabia with 3.6 million, the United Kingdom with 3.0 million, Pakistan with 2.1 million, and the United States with 1.6 million guests.

London was the busiest city destination with 1.8 million guests, followed by Riyadh with 1.5 million, Mumbai with 1.2 million, Jeddah and New Delhi with 1.1 million each, and Istanbul with 982,000 guests.

DXB handled just over 1 million tonnes of cargo in the first half of 2025, reflecting a marginal increase of 0.1 percent compared to the previous year. The airport remains a key contributor to global trade and logistics.

Currently, DXB is connected to more than 269 destinations in over 107 countries, served by a network of over 92 international carriers. This breadth of connectivity continues to underpin Dubai’s appeal as a hub for tourism, commerce, investment, and long-term growth.

With the second half underway, Dubai is preparing for a surge in global travel and events, with DXB playing a central role. From the late-summer travel rush related to the reopening of schools, to a packed winter calendar, activity is set to intensify. The upcoming Dubai Airshow 2025 is expected to be a landmark event, reflecting not only the scale of aviation in the region but also the vision shaping its future.

WAM