Dubai International (DXB) has maintained its position as the leading airport in the ACI’s 2024 Air Connectivity Ranking for the Asia-Pacific & Middle East.
The ranking revealed a remarkable 14 percent year-on-year increase in boththe Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions, driven by strong international demand, robust network recovery and the return of major travel corridors.
“Connectivity is the cornerstone of relevance in global aviation, and we are pleased to see Dubai International (DXB) recognized once again as the region’s leading hub in ACI’s 2024 Air Connectivity Ranking. What sets DXB apart is not only the scale of our network, but the consistency and quality of the connections the airport provides,” stated Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports.
Dubai International Airport emerges as top hub
The 2025 edition of the report featured a newly introduced ‘Hub Connectivity Index,’ which evaluates each airport based on the quality and effectiveness of its hub operations. Dubai International Airport emerged as the top hub, followed by Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Hamad International Airport.
The top 10 hub airports with connectivity leadership in 2024 are:
- Dubai International Airport (DXB)
- Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)
- Hamad International Airport (DOH)
- Incheon International Airport (ICN)
- Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN)
- Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK)
- Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK)
- Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)
- Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL)
- Delhi International Airport (DEL)
DXB serves more than 265 destinations in six continents
DXB currently serves more than 265 destinations across six continents, reinforcing its contribution to global trade, tourism and the creation of sustainable economic opportunities.
“But connectivity at this level only matters if it is delivered with precision. Our strength lies in combining reach with efficiency, ensuring fast, seamless and secure journeys for tens of millions of guests each year,” Griffiths added.
Griffiths added that this recognition reflects the oneDXB spirit – a shared commitment of airline partners, the broader airport community and the city of Dubai. “Together, we are shaping a model of airport connectivity that is agile, guest-focused and economically significant, not just for the region but for the world.”
In 2024, the airport set a new benchmark in global aviation, welcoming 92.3 million guests – the highest annual traffic ever recorded in its history. With connections across 107 countries served by 106 international airlines, DXB continues to set the standard as one of the world’s most connected airports.
The number of all flight movements in DXB increased by 5.7 percent in 2024 to reach 440,300, with a load factor of 78.1 percent, a marginal growth of 0.3 percent for the year.
Middle East outperforms pre-pandemic levels by significant margin
The report also revealed that the Asia-Pacific region witnessed a remarkable 13 percent jump in overall connectivity compared to 2023, while the Middle East posted an impressive 28 percent increase, surpassing all post-COVID recovery forecasts. On average, connectivity across all airports rose in both Asia-Pacific and the Middle East by 14 percent, a strong testament to the resilience and dynamism of the aviation sector.
In Asia-Pacific, intra-regional connections are nearly back to pre-pandemic levels, trailing by just 0.2 percent. At the same time, intercontinental connectivity is on the rise, showing a solid 4 percent increase. The Middle East, however, isn’t just recovering – it’s setting a new pace. Both intra-regional and intercontinental connectivity have not only bounced back but have exceeded pre-pandemic levels by a significant margin of 18 percent and 16 percent, respectively.
