Dubai International Airport (DXB) welcomed a record-breaking 44.9 million passengers during the first six months of 2024, marking an 8% increase year-on-year. This surge in traffic underscores Dubai’s rising status as a global hub for talent, enterprises, and investors.
Dubai attracted 9.31 million international visitors in the first half of 2024, reflecting its growing appeal. These figures, released by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, align with the city’s GDP growth, which reached Dh115 billion in Q1 2024, up 3.2% from the previous year.
“The record-breaking performance in the first half of this year highlights our strategic importance as a global aviation hub. Dubai is at the forefront of global cities when it comes to attracting talent, businesses, and tourists from around the world, and we are proud to be the gateway to the city, driving growth and enhancing the airport experience for every guest,” said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports. He attributed the airport’s success to strong demand from key source markets such as India and the resurgence of markets like China. “We have a very optimistic outlook for the remainder of the year and are on track to break records with 91.8 million annual guests forecasted for 2024,” he added.
DXB’s established and growing markets in South Asia, Western Europe, the GCC, and East Asia have been pivotal to its continued success. India remains DXB’s top destination country with 6.1 million passengers in H1 2024. Traffic from China exceeded 1 million passengers, representing an 80% year-on-year growth and a 90% recovery compared to 2019 levels.
Following India, Saudi Arabia recorded 3.7 million guests, the United Kingdom 2.9 million, and Pakistan 2.3 million. Other significant markets included the United States (1.7 million guests), Russia (1.3 million), and Germany (1.3 million). The top three city destinations were London with 1.8 million guests, Riyadh with 1.6 million, and Mumbai with 1.2 million.
DXB is connected to 269 destinations across 106 countries, served by 101 international airlines, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a leading global business and logistics hub. The total number of flight movements reached 216,000, a 7.2% increase compared to the first six months of last year. January was the busiest month, with 7.9 million guests.
The airport efficiently managed 39.7 million bags in the first half of the year, a 6.7% year-on-year increase, marking the highest-ever baggage volume handled in this period. Impressively, 92% of all arriving baggage was delivered to guests within 45 minutes of the aircraft’s arrival.
The average number of guests per aircraft movement was 213, and the load factor remained steady at 77% compared to H1 2023. Direct traffic accounted for 56% of the total, while transfer traffic comprised 44%.
In the second quarter of 2024, DXB saw 21.8 million guests, a 7.5% increase compared to the same period last year, with total movements recorded at 107,000.
