UAE travel: Dubai Airports sees spike in travellers in February, issues travel advisory

Dubai: Dubai International (DXB), on Thursday, issued a travel advisory ahead of the peak traffic period between February 20 - 28.

The world's busiest hub said it expects to welcome more than 2.5 million guests between February 20 and 28, averaging 280,000 daily and peaking at over 295,000 on Saturday, February 22.

A mix of global events and school holidays across key markets is expected to make this one of DXB’s busiest travel periods.

Passengers have been urged to use Dubai Metro to and from the airport and between Terminals 1 and 3.

"For those arriving at Terminal 1, the Arrivals bus stop will be out of service from February 21 and alternative transport options and updated bus schedules are available via the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) website.

Over the past decade, DXB has handled more than 700 million passengers on over 3.3 million flights. And last year, for the first time in its history, the world’s busiest hub by international traffic welcomed a record 92.3 million annual passengers.

It surpassed its November forecast of 91.9 million annual passengers in 2024, up from 87 million in 2023. Moreover, DXB also exceeded its pre-pandemic record of 89.1 million annual passengers in 2018.

According to Dubai Airports - the operator of DXB and the Emirate's second hub at Dubai World Central (DWC) - December 2024 was the busiest month of the year, with DXB handling 8.2 million passengers. A statement from the airport operator attributed the surge in numbers to sustained growth throughout the year, bolstered by Dubai’s appeal as a global hub for travel, business, and investment.