In 2024, Dubai International Airport (DXB) welcomed 92.3 million passengers, reclaiming its title as the world’s busiest international airport for the tenth consecutive year, per Airports Council International (ACI). Announced by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on January 30, 2025, this 6% increase from 2023’s 86.9 million surpassed the 2018 peak of 89.1 million. The milestone highlights Dubai’s role as a global aviation hub, but with infrastructure strained, the city is preparing to transition to the larger Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC).

DXB, home to Emirates and flydubai, handled 440,300 aircraft movements in 2024, up 5.7% from 2023, and processed 2.2 million tonnes of cargo, a 20.5% increase, per Dubai Airports. December 2024 saw 8.2 million passengers, with India (12 million), Saudi Arabia (7.6 million), and the UK (6.2 million) as top markets. The airport’s 99.45% baggage handling success rate, with 5.5 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers, outperformed the global average of 6.9, per SITA. In Q1 2025, passenger numbers rose 8.4% year-on-year, driven by new routes to Asia and Europe, including Druk Air’s service to Paro, Bhutan, per Cirium.

Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, credited the city’s strategic location—seven hours from London, 14 from New York—and investments like Terminal 3’s luxury lounges, named the world’s most luxurious by AllClear in 2025. “This record reflects Dubai’s vision to connect the world,” Griffiths told Reuters on January 31, 2025. The surge aligns with Dubai’s tourism boom, with 16.8 million visitors in the first 11 months of 2024, up 14% from 2023, per the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. Events like GITEX Global and the city’s top ranking for tourism FDI in H1 2024, per the Financial Times, fueled growth.

However, DXB’s capacity is stretched, with 416,000 movements in 2023 already testing limits. To address this, Dubai is expanding Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC). On April 28, 2024, Sheikh Mohammed approved a $34.85 billion terminal, set to handle 260 million passengers annually upon completion, with the first phase (150 million passengers) due by 2032. DWC, currently serving 27 carriers to 44 destinations, will incorporate biometric security and LEED Gold standards, supporting the UAE’s net-zero 2050 goal.

Challenges include aircraft delivery delays for Emirates and flydubai, per Aviation Week, and aviation’s contribution to the UAE’s high carbon emissions, per IATA. DXB’s 77,000 workers, mostly expatriates, face rising living costs, with affordability concerns noted on X. Security measures ensure safety, but the UAE’s 145th ranking in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index raises transparency questions. Griffiths projects 100 million passengers by 2027, with DWC poised to redefine global travel. For now, DXB’s record cements Dubai’s status as a hub defying limits.

Photo credits: Dubai International Airport Instagram. 

Oksana Bozhko

Oksana Bozhko is a Contributor to Dubai Voice.