Dubai International Airport (DXB) welcomed 87 million guests in 2023, surpassing not only Dubai Airports’ own yearly forecast but also pre-pandemic levels of traffic.
This performance marks the successful and ahead-of-time completion of DXB’s recovery journey, further solidifying its position as the world’s leading airport for international passenger traffic.
The airport forecasts it will receive 88.8 million guests in 2024, putting the hub within striking distance of its previous all-time high record of 89.1 million guests set in 2018.
Read: UAE soars to the top, dominates regional aviation sector
Traffic figures
In 2023, DXB witnessed a surge in guest numbers, reaching a total of 86,994,365, an impressive year-on-year increase of 31.7 percent. The figure stood at 86.4 million in 2019.
The 2023 numbers were driven by robust growth in the second half of the year, during which the airport recorded a total of 45.4 million guests.
With 7.8 million guests, December was the busiest month in the fourth quarter, during which the airport welcomed a total of 22.4 million guests, a year-on-year growth of 13.8 percent compared to Q4 of last year. Q3 remained the quarter with highest traffic since 2019 with 23 million guests while August, with 7.9 million guests, was the month with the highest traffic.
As per the latest data for 2023, DXB is currently connected to 262 destinations across 104 countries through 102 international carriers.
Top destinations
India claimed the top spot among destination countries with traffic totalling 11.9 million guests. Next was Saudi Arabia with 6.7 million guests. UK followed with 5.9 million guests. Other country markets of note include Pakistan (4.2 million), the US (3.6 million), Russia (2.5 million), and Germany (2.5 million). London retained its position as the top destination city with 3.7 million guests. Riyadh came next with 2.6 million guests, followed by Mumbai with 2.5 million guests.
“Dubai is setting new benchmarks in passenger experience with excellence levels and innovative technologies that constantly redefine airport services. Consistent with the goal of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 to consolidate Dubai’s status as one of the world’s top three cities for tourism and business over the next decade, the city continues to grow rapidly as a global aviation hub and the world’s preferred gateway for international travelers. As we celebrate these accomplishments, we remain committed to further enhancing Dubai’s leading position on the global stage,” Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, said.
Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, added, “I am incredibly proud of everyone at Dubai International, for their dedication and relentless pursuit of excellence, which has propelled us to break many of our own records. 2023 was an exceptional year and is a testament to our unwavering commitment to innovation, efficiency and delivering exemplary guest experience. This translated to DXB achieving its highest internal engagement scores – a reflection of our commitment to fostering a collaborative culture, where every contribution is valued and every employee is empowered to their full potential.”
Most bags processed
DXB processed 77.5 million bags in 2023, the highest volume of bags managed during a calendar year. Despite a 24.6 percent year-on-year increase in baggage volume, DXB maintained its unmatched success rate of 99.8 percent, with only 2.4 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers.
More than 95 percent of guests experienced less than seven minutes of waiting time at departure passport control while the average waiting time at security check on departures was less than four minutes for 97.5 percent of guests.
Cargo
In 2023, DXB handled 1.806 million tonnes of cargo, a slight decrease of 4.5 percent compared to the previous year. Cargo volumes registered a growth of 20.4 percent year-on-year in the fourth quarter to reach 506,018 tonnes.
