Dubai International Airport (DXB) welcomed a record 44.9 million passengers during the first six months of this year, an 8 percent year-on-year increase.
Meanwhile, the total number of flight movements reached 216,000, a 7.2 percent increase compared to the first six months of last year.
Surge in visitor numbers
Dubai attracted 9.31 million overnight international visitors in H1 2024, reflecting its burgeoning appeal as a global hub for talent, enterprises and investors. These figures, recently released by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, tie in closely with the growth of Dubai’s GDP, which reached AED115 billion ($31.31 billion) in Q1 2024, up 3.2 percent from the previous year.
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“The record-breaking performance in the first half of this year highlights our strategic importance as a global aviation hub. Dubai is at the forefront of global cities when it comes to attracting talent, businesses and tourists from around the world, and we are proud to be the gateway to the city, driving growth and enhancing the airport experience for every guest,” Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said.
“Strong demand from key source markets such as India and the gradual but certain resurgence of markets such as China, have been instrumental in our success. We have a very optimistic outlook for the remainder of the year, and we are on track to break records with 91.8 million annual guests forecasted for 2024,” he added.
Established and growing markets
The size and significance of DXB’s established and growing markets including South Asia, Western Europe, the GCC, and East Asia has played a crucial role in the airport’s continued success. In the first half of 2024, India remains DXB’s top destination country with 6.1 million passengers, while traffic from China exceeded 1 million passengers, representing 80 percent year-on-year growth and a 90 percent recovery compared to 2019 levels.
DXB’s top destination countries after India are Saudi Arabia with 3.7 million guests, the United Kingdom with 2.9 million guests and Pakistan with 2.3 million guests. Other significant markets include the United States (1.7 million guests), Russia (1.3 million), and Germany (1.3 million). The top three city destinations were London with 1.8 million guests, Riyadh (1.6 million), and Mumbai (1.2 million).
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DXB is connected to 269 destinations across 106 countries, served by 101 international airlines, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a leading global business and logistics hub.
January, the busiest month
The busiest month was January with 7.9 million guests. DXB efficiently managed 39.7 million bags in the first half of the year, a 6.7 percent year-on-year increase, marking the highest-ever baggage volume handled in the first half of the year. Highlighting operational excellence, 92 percent of all arriving baggage was delivered to guests terminating at DXB within 45 minutes of the aircraft arriving on stand.
The average number of guests per aircraft movement was 213, and the load factor remained steady at 77 percent compared to H1 2023. Direct traffic accounted for 56 percent of the total, witnessing a slight increase, while transfer traffic comprised 44 percent. Meanwhile, during the second quarter of 2024, the airport saw 21.8 million guests, an increase of 7.5 percent compared to the same period last year and total movements were recorded at 107,000.
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