Dubai Airports issues travel advisory ahead of peak travel as 10m passengers expected at DXB

Dubai: Dubai Airports, the operator of the world's busiest hub Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC), has issued a travel advisory urging passengers to plan ahead as DXB gears up for a record-breaking year-end travel wave.

A whopping 10 million passengers are expected to pass through the airport between November 27 and December 31.

Airport authorities said the surge will begin with the UAE National Day long weekend, when daily passenger numbers are projected to exceed 294,000, before climbing to over 300,000 in December.

Saturday, December 20, is forecast to be the busiest day with 303,000 travellers.

Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, called the movement “a powerful indicator of Dubai’s global appeal.” He said DXB’s operations were “well-prepared to deliver a world-class experience during this exciting and busy festive season.”

December is expected to mark DXB’s busiest month on record, with over 8.7 million travellers forecast. The pattern of travel will mirror past years, with outbound journeys peaking before the National Day weekend as residents take short breaks, followed by a strong rise in inbound arrivals in mid-December driven by Dubai’s festive attractions.

Griffiths noted that the airport’s growth aligns with Dubai’s expanding tourism and business ecosystem.

“DXB continues to be the gateway to one of the most dynamic and connected cities in the world,” he said in a previous interview, reiterating that ongoing plans to enhance capacity and service quality remain a top priority.

Dubai Airports has placed emphasis on smart travel technologies and real-time information for passengers.

Enhanced coordination with Emirates will allow travellers to use options such as home, early and self-service check-in, and city check-in facilities at ICD Brookfield Place in DIFC.

To ease travel during this period, Dubai Airports has released a list of tips to help passengers avoid queues and reduce stress:

Airport officials also reminded travellers to stay updated via DXB Express Maps and mobile alerts for gate and flight information.

DXB’s latest forecasts come amid ongoing long-term expansion plans. Griffiths has previously spoken of Dubai’s vision to remain the world’s busiest international airport and the “most connected hub” for passengers and airlines alike.

He added, “Infrastructure, digital transformation, and the customer experience are at the heart of our next phase of growth. With the momentum seen this year, we expect 2026 to be even more exciting for the aviation industry in Dubai.”

Saj Ahmed, the chief analyst at StrategicAero Research, said, "The pressure now to get Al Maktoum International / Dubai World Central up and running by 2032 takes on yet more urgency." He added, "Emirates and flydubai have billions of dollars of airplanes due to be delivered (over 500 between them) and that’s the only gateway with which they can unlock their long term growth potential."