Dubai International Airport maintains its crown as world's busiest airport in 2025

DUBAI - Dubai International Airport (DXB) has once again solidified its position as the world's busiest airport for international passenger traffic in 2025, handling a staggering record of 95.2 million passengers throughout the year. 

The milestone, announced by Dubai Airports on Wednesday, marks a 3.1% increase from the previous year's 92.3 million and cements DXB's dominance as the premier global hub for international travel.

A record-breaking year

The figures reflect DXB's remarkable resilience and growth amid a dynamic global aviation landscape. Officials highlighted that the airport processed 86.75 million bags — a 4.95% rise year-on-year — while maintaining exceptional efficiency, with 98.8% of arrivals cleared in under 15 minutes. Aircraft movements reached approximately 454,000, and the average load factor stood at 77.6%, with planes carrying an average of 214 passengers per flight.

Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths described the achievement as a sign of maturity rather than a one-off peak.

"Dubai International showed in 2025 that record traffic is no longer an exception, but part of its operating reality," said Griffiths.

The emirate's economic momentum, tourism appeal, and strategic location as a crossroads between East and West fueled the surge, even as regional challenges persisted.

December 2025 proved the busiest month on record, with around 8.8 million passengers, and the airport carried strong momentum into 2026. Early January saw a single-day high of 324,000 passengers on January 3, the highest ever recorded at DXB.

Global leadership in international traffic

While Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) retained the top spot for overall passenger traffic (including massive domestic volumes) in many rankings — such as OAG's 2025 data showing ATL with 63.1 million seats versus DXB's 62.4 million — Dubai International stands unrivaled as the world's busiest by international passengers. This distinction has been consistent for years, with DXB maintaining its lead in international seat capacity and passenger numbers.

The airport serves as the primary hub for Emirates, the world's largest international airline by passengers carried, alongside growing operations from flydubai and dozens of other carriers. Over 100 airlines operate more than 8,500 weekly flights to over 270 destinations across every inhabited continent, making DXB a true global connector.

Toward 100 million passengers

With forecasts now revised upward, Dubai Airports expects to welcome 99.5 million passengers in 2026 — tantalizingly close to the symbolic 100 million milestone. Long-term plans include expansion at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), set to eventually become Dubai's main gateway with capacity for far higher volumes.

Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum celebrated the news on social media, calling the airport the "lifeblood of Dubai" and underscoring its role in driving the emirate's vision as a world-class destination.