Dubai International retains world's busiest international airport title with 8.94 million seats in November

Dubai: Dubai International Airport has retained its position as the world's busiest airport for scheduled international seat capacity in November, with airlines offering 4.47 million departing seats, equivalent to approximately 8.94 million seats in both directions, according to aviation data provider OAG.

The airport maintained a lead of nearly 680,000 seats over London's Heathrow Airport, which ranked second with 3.79 million international seats, the latest figures showed.

Dubai International remained at the top of the global rankings for international flights despite a 16 per cent decline in scheduled seat capacity compared with November 2025, OAG reported. 

Seoul's Incheon International Airport ranked third with 3.7 million seats, followed by Singapore's Changi Airport with 3.58 million and Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport with 3.25 million.

Hong Kong International Airport placed sixth with 3.19 million seats, ahead of Istanbul Airport with 3.16 million and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport with 3.08 million.

Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport ranked ninth with 2.82 million seats, while Frankfurt Airport completed the top 10 with 2.65 million.

The figures are based on the number of seats airlines have scheduled on international flights, rather than actual passenger numbers. Dubai International ranked fourth globally for total scheduled capacity, including domestic services, behind airports in Atlanta, Chicago and Tokyo. 

Dubai International is the main hub for Emirates and flydubai, which operate extensive international networks connecting the emirate with destinations around the world.

Services operated by other international airlines also contribute to the airport's position as a major transit hub linking Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas.