Dubai International Airport (DXB) recorded the highest passenger traffic in its history during the first half of 2025, welcoming around 46 million passengers, an annual increase of 2.3%, despite the operational challenges in regional airspace in May and June.
In the second quarter of this year, Dubai International welcomed 22.5 million passengers, growth of 3.1% compared with the same period of 2024, while April 2025, in the second quarter of this year, was the busiest April in the history of Dubai International, with 8 million passengers passing through all its terminals, according to a press release published on the Dubai Airports website.
For his part, Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said the continued growth in passenger traffic at Dubai International during a period of numerous regional challenges underlines the strength of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates and the resilience of the airport's operations.
He said the commitment of the team and the airport's approach helped strengthen its ability to manage challenges efficiently while maintaining an outstanding travel experience and ensuring the seamless continuity of global air connectivity.
He added that as the airport enters the second half of the year, it expects travel to gain further momentum, particularly with the late-summer peak and a winter season packed with global entertainment, sports and business events.
He stressed that the upcoming Dubai Airshow 2025 will be a landmark event expected to surpass previous records and reflect the ambitious vision shaping the future of the aviation and aerospace sectors.
He affirmed that, based on the performance achieved so far and the positive outlook for the coming months, Dubai International expects total passenger traffic to reach 96 million by the end of this year, which will enable it to reach the 100 million passenger mark.
Average monthly passenger traffic in the first half of the year was 7.7 million, with a daily average of 254,000 passengers, while January was the busiest month for passenger traffic in the first half, setting a new monthly record of 8.5 million passengers. The airport handled more than 222,000 flights in the first half of the year, with a load factor, or seat occupancy rate, of 76%.
The airport also efficiently handled 41.8 million bags, 91% of which were delivered within 45 minutes of arrival, while the mishandled baggage rate was only two bags per 1,000 passengers, outperforming the 2024 global average of 6.3 bags per 1,000 passengers, according to data from SITA, the global provider of communications and IT services to the aviation industry.
Baggage handling at Dubai International is expected to exceed 85 million bags this year, surpassing the previous record of 81.2 million bags in 2024, while the period between January 3 and 5 recorded the highest number of bags handled per day, at 300,000 bags.
Dubai International also maintained exceptional efficiency levels across various service points, with 99.2% of departing passengers clearing passport control in under 10 minutes, 98.4% of arriving passengers completing passport procedures in under 15 minutes, and 98.7% of passengers completing security screening in under 5 minutes.
Key Markets and Destinations
India maintained its position as the top destination for passengers through Dubai International in the first half of this year with 5.9 million passengers, followed by Saudi Arabia with 3.6 million, the United Kingdom with 3 million, Pakistan with 2.1 million and the United States with 1.6 million.
London also topped the list of busiest city destinations by passenger numbers with 1.8 million passengers, followed by Riyadh with 1.5 million, Mumbai with 1.2 million, and Jeddah and Delhi with 1.1 million each, followed by Istanbul with 982,000 passengers.
Air Connectivity
Dubai International is currently connected to more than 269 destinations in more than 107 countries around the world through a network of more than 92 international airlines, strengthening Dubai's position as a global hub for aviation, trade, tourism and investment.
As the second half of 2025 begins, Dubai is preparing for a significant increase in travel, starting with the peak back-to-school season and a winter season packed with international events. The Dubai Airshow 2025 is expected to be a landmark event on the industry's calendar, reflecting the size of the region's aviation sector and embodying the future vision driving its growth and development.
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