Dubai airport ranked region’s most connected hub, widening lead over rivals

Dubai: Dubai International Airport has ranked as the most connected airport across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East in 2025, retaining the top position in a regional index covering 315 airports.

DXB also emerged as the leading hub, with its hub connectivity score close to 40% higher than its nearest competitor, according to the latest Airports Council International Asia-Pacific & Middle East Air Connectivity Index.

The ranking looks at network size and flight frequency, the economic importance of destinations, aircraft type, domestic and international services, the number of stops involved and airline alliance membership.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport ranked second for total air connectivity in 2025, followed by Incheon International Airport in South Korea.

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport took fourth place, while Doha’s Hamad International Airport ranked fifth.

Singapore Changi Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Tokyo Haneda International Airport and Hong Kong International Airport completed the top 10.

Dubai also led the separate hub connectivity ranking, followed by Shanghai Pudong, Incheon, Hamad International and Guangzhou Baiyun.

The strength of Dubai’s position comes during a year when connectivity continued to expand across both regions. Overall connectivity among the airports covered by the index grew 11% in 2025, although the pace eased from 14% in 2024.

The Middle East recorded the stronger increase, with connectivity growing 21%, supported by the expanding networks of Gulf-based airlines. Asia-Pacific recorded growth of 10%.

Connectivity improved across most of the airports examined, with 74% of the 315 airports recording growth during 2025.

Major hubs performed particularly strongly, with between 83% and 97% recording increases as airlines continued expanding their networks and international travel demand remained firm.

Chinese airports gained ground during the year, with Shanghai Pudong, Guangzhou Baiyun and Beijing Capital all entering the top 10 alongside Hong Kong International Airport.

Shanghai Pudong recorded the biggest improvement among the major airports, with connectivity rising 32%, followed by Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 30% and Hong Kong International Airport at 28%.

Sharjah International Airport was among the strongest improvers in the category covering airports handling between 15 million and 25 million passengers a year, alongside Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport and Sanya Phoenix International Airport in China.

Abu Dhabi International Airport was one of the three most improved airports in the 25 million to 40 million passenger category, together with Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport and Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

Medina and Muscat were among the leaders in the 5 million to 15 million passenger category.

International city pairs across the two regions increased by an average of 10% in 2025, although growth moderated from 17% a year earlier.

Domestic city pairs returned to growth at 0.8% after declining 1% during 2024.

Asia-Pacific passengers continued to travel overwhelmingly within the region, with intra-regional flows accounting for 91% of departing passenger traffic. That was 5% higher than in 2024 and also 5% above 2019 levels.

Intercontinental traffic from Asia-Pacific rose 7% from the previous year and stood 12% above pre-pandemic levels.

The Middle East recorded even stronger intercontinental growth, rising 9% year on year and reaching 27% above 2019 levels.

Passenger flows from Asia-Pacific to Europe, the Middle East, Central and South America and Africa have all surpassed pre-pandemic levels. North America remained the exception, with traffic still 9% below 2019.

The strong 2025 performance has been followed by a more difficult start to 2026, particularly across the Middle East.

Direct connectivity in Asia-Pacific grew 0.5% during the first half of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier, despite economic pressures and geopolitical instability.

Middle East connectivity fell 23% over the same period after conflict in the region forced airlines to cut schedules and reroute flights around affected airspace.

The decline contrasts with the region’s 21% connectivity growth during 2025 and highlights the disruption airlines and passengers have faced this year.

Passenger traffic in Asia-Pacific still increased by about 1.6% year on year during the first half.