Summary
- Dubai International Airport set to break records in 2024 with a projected 91 million passengers, showcasing its continued growth and success.
- DXB’s CEO attributes growth to network expansion by Emirates and flydubai, with strong Q1 numbers and a revised forecast for the year.
- As a vital part of Dubai’s economy, DXB supports the Emirate’s diverse economic activities by connecting to 256 destinations worldwide.
Now that China has rejoined global aviation and Asia-Pacific has almost fully recovered from the pandemic, there has been much talk about where the center of commercial air travel is today. Using airport traffic as a benchmark, it is still in the United States at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, followed by Dubai International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth and London Heathrow.
DXB set for a record 2024
The mega hubs may switch positions in the coming years, with those in China building up numbers, but the power of Dubai International Airport is not waning, despite some predictions that the hub and spoke model is under threat in this post-pandemic environment. After a record-breaking first quarter, which saw just over 23 million passengers pass through, the airport now expects to handle 91 million in 2024, a new record surpassing the 89.1 million it handled in 2018.
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In the first three months of 2024 (Q1 2024), Dubai International Airport (DXB) saw a significant surge in passengers, with 23 million passing through the terminals, an 8.4% year-on-year (YoY) increase. Total passenger traffic reached 23,052,060 passengers, with the highest month being January when 7.9 million passed through the airport.
Photo: flydubai
Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said the robust growth trajectory at DXB continued in the year’s first quarter, with the hub recording some truly impressive numbers. Griffiths attributed that partly to the proliferation of cities added to the airport’s network by the two home carriers, Emirates and flydubai, in recent months.
“Our focus remains on sustaining growth momentum and enhancing the overall airport experience for every guest passing through our terminals. With a strong start to Q2 and an optimistic outlook for the rest of the year, we have revised our forecast for the year to 91 million guests, surpassing our previous annual traffic record of 89.1 million in 2018.”
In the first quarter, flight movements reached 109,238, an 8.3% increase compared to Q1 2023. With load factors reaching 79.1% in Q1 2024, the passenger per aircraft movement reached 217, a slight dip from the 220 per aircraft recorded between January and March last year.
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An essential part of Dubai’s economy
Aviation is a primary driver of economic activity in Dubai, and by handling growing passenger numbers and high cargo volumes, the airport supports the Emirate’s diversified economy. As the main gateway to the Emirate, DXB has connections to 256 destinations across 102 countries through 90 international carriers, significantly facilitating Dubai’s position as a global business and logistics hub.
Photo: Dubai International Airport
Dubai’s top destination country is India, with passenger numbers reaching 3.1 million, followed by Saudi Arabia (2m), the United Kingdom (1.5m) and Pakistan (1.1m). Other significant contributors included the United States (836,000), Russia (725,000) and Germany (728,000).
The leading cities by passenger numbers include London with 961,000 guests, Riyadh (795,000), and Jeddah (669,000), closely followed by Mumbai with 637,000. Due to its nature as a transit hub, DXB handles a lot of baggage quickly and, in Q1, managed 26.8 million bags, showcasing its “operational excellence and commitment to seamless travel experiences.”
Dubai Airports operates both Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC) airports. In May, the company announced a US$35 billion expansion plan for DWC that, over the next decade, will see it accommodate 150 million passengers annually, eventually expanding to 260 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo.
Have you been through Dubai International this year? Let us know about your experience in the comments.