UAE. Dubai International Airport (DXB) has achieved a new quarterly record as passenger traffic reached 24.2 million between July and September, up +1.9% year-on-year.
Driven by a strong third quarter, the airport served 70.1 million passengers in the first nine months, up +2.1% year-on-year.
Twelve-month rolling traffic reached 93.8 million by the end of September.
Flight movements also rose, with 115,000 recorded in Q3 and 336,000 in the January-September period, a +2.7% year-on-year increase.
The airport recorded an average of 213 passengers per aircraft as of end-September.
Among its key source markets, India remained the largest, welcoming 8.8 million passengers in the first nine months, followed by Saudi Arabia (5.5 million), the UK (4.6 million), Pakistan (3.2 million) and the USA (2.4 million).
Among city destinations, London topped the list with 2.8 million passengers, followed by Riyadh (2.3 million), Mumbai (1.8 million), Jeddah (1.7 million) and New Delhi (1.6 million).
DXB also remained a key gateway for global tourism, with Malaysia (687,000), Vietnam (493,000), the Czech Republic (341,000), Uzbekistan (312,000) and Denmark (239,000) leading outbound leisure travel.
The airport continued to deliver strong operational performance in Q3, with 99.6% of departing passengers cleared through passport control in under ten minutes and 99.8% of arriving passengers processed in less than 15 minutes. Security checks took under five minutes for 99.7% of travellers.
DXB’s strong operational results reinforce its drive to sustain performance levels, with priority projects to optimise areas across all terminals now in development.
These include CB Central, a dedicated space in Terminal 3 that highlights Dubai’s leading brands and experiences; CB East, a family-friendly space offering mainstream dining and entertainment for all ages; and CB West, a new hub at DXB showcasing premium shopping and casual-dining experiences.
Also underway is CD Central in Terminal 1, located centrally in Concourse D, featuring panoramic airfield views, refreshed passenger areas, innovative information services and convenient access to key retail stores.
Dubai Airports’ future-focused plans also include Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC), marking the start of Dubai’s next aviation chapter.
Set to become Dubai’s main international gateway in the early 2030s, DWC is being designed as a smart, future-ready hub with enhanced efficiency, connectivity and sustainability.
Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said: “These record-breaking results reflect the continued strength of Dubai’s aviation and tourism sectors, and to the collective efforts of our oneDXB airport community. Yet, it also reinforces the importance of what comes next.
“The vision for DWC goes beyond capacity expansion – it represents the reimaging and evolution of the entire travel experience. Our goal is not just to grow, but to grow intelligently by combining technology, sustainability and a superior guest experience, that will shape the future of global travel.” ✈
