Dubai retains title of world’s busiest airport - for 11th year running

Montreal: Dubai International Airport (DXB) has firmly established itself as a cornerstone of global international travel, securing its position as the world's busiest airport for international passenger traffic in 2024, 11 years in a row, according to preliminary figures released today by Airports Council International (ACI) World. 

The Gulf hub, home to the world’s largest airline, Emirates, has topped the rankings ahead of London Heathrow, Seoul Incheon, Singapore Changi, and Amsterdam Schiphol.

Dubai International Airport handled 92.3 million travellers in 2024, a 6.1 per cent increase from 2023, extending its lead as the world’s busiest international hub, ACI has revealed in its latest report. 

In a statement to Gulf News, Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said, "With 92.3 million guests in 2024, we not only extended our decade-long hold on the top spot but also set a new global benchmark for international traffic at a single airport."

He added, "While this achievement is measured in numbers, it speaks to something far greater than scale alone. It reflects the extraordinary power of Dubai as a destination in its own right - a city people choose to visit for tourism, trade and business or to call home." 

Griffiths also said this marks a proud moment for Dubai Airports and the entire oneDXB community.

"But while milestones like this are worth celebrating, our focus remains firmly on the future. The development of Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International is already underway, bringing with it the opportunity to expand capacity and completely rethink airport design and reimagine the travel experience itself," he added. 

Despite geopolitical and economic challenges, ACI said these airports have successfully held their top rankings. ACI World Director General Justin Erbacci said, “These hubs are vital for trade, commerce, and connectivity.” 

He added, “As air travel grows, ACI World stands ready to support its members, ensuring the smooth flow of people and goods that drive global economic, social, and cultural progress.”

Preliminary figures indicate that the total number of 2024 global passengers is close to 5 billion, representing an increase of 9 per cent from 2023 or a gain of 3.8 per cent from pre-pandemic levels (2019).

The Top 10 busiest airports, representing 9 per cent of global traffic (855 million passengers), witnessed a gain of 8.8 per cent from 2023 and 8.4 per cent vis-à-vis their 2019 results (789 million pax in 2019).

However, ACI, representing 2,181 airports across 170 countries, cautioned that while 9.9 billion people are expected to fly in 2025, passenger growth will likely decelerate. 

As ACI warned in its February outlook, economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, and airline capacity constraints are among the key challenges expected to impact the industry’s momentum.

Including domestic travel, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport retained the top global spot, handling 108.1 million people, followed by Dubai and Dallas-Fort Worth.

Hong Kong International Airport remained the world’s busiest cargo hub in the freight sector, with 4.9 million metric tonnes handled in 2024. Shanghai moved up to second place, pushing Memphis down to third.