Dubai Airport handled more than 700 million passengers: Sheikh Mohammed

Dubai: Over the past decade, Dubai International Airport (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.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, highlighted these achievements in a post on Thursday on X (formerly known as Twitter).

“Dubai is the airport of the world... and a new world in the aviation sector,”  said Sheikh Mohammed.

 A busy December 

According to Dubai Airports, 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.

Dubai has set an ambitious goal to become one of the world’s top five logistics hubs and doubling foreign trade by expanding connections to 400 new cities globally as part of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.

However, the Dubai ruler said, “Our focus goes beyond rankings; we aim to provide exceptional value to the world.”

Looking ahead, Sheikh Mohammed said Dubai is set to redefine the aviation landscape with an ambitious Dh128 billion investment plan. He was referring to the expansion plans at Dubai’s second hub - Al Maktoum International - which were unveiled last year. The government is planning to build a $35 billion airport terminal with a capacity of 260 million passengers a year once completed.

Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said, “Crossing the 92 million mark is a monumental achievement for DXB and Dubai. This year’s results exceeded our forecast by almost 200,000 in passenger numbers, underscoring the strength of DXB’s global appeal.”

Looking ahead, Griffiths said DXB is confident about reaching the milestone of 100 million annual passengers by 2027. 

“Our $35 billion expansion plans for Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC) will ensure we not only accommodate this growth but also allow Dubai Airports to redefine what it means to travel,” Griffiths said. 

DXB also recorded a significant increase in cargo volumes, handling 2.2 million tonnes in 2024—a 20.5 per cent rise from 1.8 million tonnes the previous year. Flight movements saw a 5.7 per cent increase, reaching 440,300, while the airport’s load factor improved slightly to 78.1 per cent.

Emirates and flydubai, the home carriers at DXB, are also primed for significant expansion, with plans to grow their fleets and extend their route networks. The carrier's passengers can access a combined network of more than 225 unique destinations in more than 100 countries.