Dubai Airports Fact File

Dubai Airports manages the operation of both of Dubai’s airports – Dubai International (DXB), the world’s number one airport for international guests since 2014, and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC), the world’s future aviation hub. Dubai Airports was established as a commercial entity in April 2007, following organisational restructuring of the erstwhile Dubai Department of Civil Aviation (DCA).

DXB 2025 Annual Traffic

• DXB recorded its highest-ever annual traffic with 95.2 million guests, up 3.1% YoY, marking the highest annual international passenger traffic ever recorded by any airport.
• DXB recorded its busiest day, month and quarter on record during the year.
• Total flight movements reached 454,800, seeing a rise of 3.3% YoY, reflecting sustained network and capacity growth across the year.
• The annual load factor stood at 77.6%, a marginal adjustment of 0.5 percentage points.
• December became the busiest month in DXB’s history yet, with 8.7 million guests, up 6.1% YoY.
• Q4 followed suit as the strongest quarter on record, reaching 25.1 million guests, up 5.9% versus 2024.
• Top destination countries: India (11.9m), Saudi Arabia (7.5m), the United Kingdom (6.3m), Pakistan (4.3m) and the United States (3.3m).
• Upticks across key secondary markets included China: +16.6% to 2.5m, Russia: +6% to 2.8m, Turkey: +6.7% to 2.2m, Egypt: +14.3% to 1.8m, and Italy: +12.5% to 1.6m.
• Top city destinations: London (3.9m), Riyadh (3m), Mumbai and Jeddah (2.4m each) and New Delhi (2.2m).
• DXB is connected to 291 destinations across 110 countries through 108 international carriers. 

 
DXB Fast Facts

• Airport Perimeter – 7 KM X 2.5 KM 

• DXB comprises three terminals: 
  - Terminal 1 (includes Concourse D) serves all airlines 
  - Terminal 2 serves scheduled, charter, and special flights (pilgrimage) 
  - Terminal 3 (includes Concourses A, B & C) is dedicated for use by Emirates 

• Total built up area of DXB is 2,122,474sqm 
  [T1+Concourse C (246,474sqm) + T2 (13000 sqm) + T3+Concourse B (1,185,000 sqm) + Concourse A (528,000) + Concourse D (150,000sqm)] 

• The 35,000 sqm cargo facility at DXB capable of handling 3.1 m tonnes of cargo annually. 

• DXB ranks among the world’s top 10 cargo hubs in terms of international freight traffic. 

• DXB has a total of 526 check in counters 
  T1 – 211 | Transfers (Concourse D) – 31 | T2 – 52 | T3 - 232 

• DXB became the world’s number 1 airport for international passengers in 2014 with passenger numbers totalling 70.4m. 

• Busiest month – August 2018 with 8.3 m passengers (approx. 280,000 passengers per day; 11,500 passengers per hour) 

• The Baggage Handling System (BHS) is 175KM long. An average bag spends 29 mins in the system. 

• The BHS handles up to 9.3m bags/month during peak season (2018). 
  Powered by more than 21,000 motors, the BHS has 15,000 trays and is spread over an area equal to 75 football fields. 

• Dubai Duty Free sells an average of 2.9m bottles of perfume 2,066 tonnes of chocolate, 995 tonnes of dates and 2,711 kilograms of gold every year.

Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC) 
Dubai’s second airport opened its doors to passengers on 27 October, 2013 with Wizz Air as the launch airline. Kuwait-based Jazeera Airways launched services from 31 October while Gulf Air commenced flights from December 8, 2013. DWC welcomed the launch of flydubai’s operations with the arrival of their first flight on October 25, 2015. 

Dubai Airports launched cargo operations at DWC on June 27, 2010 as part of the first phase of the project. All cargo operators were moved from DXB to DWC by May 2014, making DWC the main cargo hub. It is also home to 20 cargo operators that fly to as many as 43 cities around the world. 

Phase II Expansion Project
On 28 April, 2024, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President & Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, approved an USD 35b Phase 2 Expansion of DWC. 

• The project aims to build a 150m capacity facility over the next 10 years. 

• The ultimate capacity of the airport will be 260m passengers per year and 12m tonnes of cargo.

• The new airport will feature five runways - four of which will operate independntly - West and East processing terminals, four satellite concourses with over 400 aircraft contact stands.

• It will boast uninterrupted automated people mover system for passengers, and an integrated landside transport hub for roads, Dubai Metro, and city air transport.
   

2025 Traffic

• YTD September, the passenger traffic at DWC reached 915K (+35.9%).

• CIS was top market with 497K guests followed by GCC (153K) and W Europe (115K).

• Cargo volume at DWC reached 481K tonnes (+1.6%) at the end of September.

• Flight movements went up by 25% to reach 42,800.

DWC 2024 Annual Traffic 

• DWC welcomed more than 1.1m guests in 2024, 95% YoY.

• The airport registered nearly 50,000 flight movements (all flights) in 2024.

• CIS was the top source market for DWC during 2024 with 727,000 guests, followed by Western Europe (110,000 guests) and Eastern Europe (100,000 guests).

• Russia was the top country by traffic with 713,000 guests. KSA was placed second with 67,000 in guest numbers, followed by Poland (40,000) and Germany (37,000 guests).

• Top three destination by traffic were Moscow (395,000 guests), Sochi (80,000) and Riyadh (60,000). 

DWC 2023 Traffic

• DWC welcomed more than 540,000 guests in 2023.

• The airport registered 4,250 flight movements (passenger) during the year.

• DWC handled 576,000 tonnes of cargo in 2023. 

DWC 2022 Traffic

• The terminal at DWC accommodated traffic diverted from DXB during the runway refurbishment project at DXB, welcoming some 650,000+ passengers on 6,200 flights between May 9 and June 22, 2022.

• An estimated 200,000 plus passengers travelled on match day shuttle flights operated by flydubai and Qatar airways between DWC and Doha for the World Cup from November 20 to December 18.

• The two carriers operated up to 120 match day flights between DWC and Doha daily for the duration of the event.

• DWC registered record growth in general aviation activity with more than 930 flights in a week (between December 13-19, the final week of sporting event).

• DWC welcomed an estimated 494k passengers in the Q4 2022.

Terminal Expansion (2018)

In 2018, Dubai Airports opened the expanded passenger terminal at DWC. 
With annual capacity of 26m passenger, the expanded facility opened in time to offer alternate capacity for airlines during the closure of one of DXB’s two runway for refurbishment from April 16 to May 30, 2019.
The expanded passenger terminal provides a total of 24 boarding gates, a brand new 6,000 bags per hour baggage handling system, 7 baggage reclaim carousels and 104 check-in desks.
 
Capacity Fast Facts

• 26.5m guests per year
• 7 Baggage carousels  
• 40 Arrivals immigration counters
• 5 Arrivals smart gates (space for 20)
• 90 + 4 OOG Check-in Desks
• 10 Business Class Check-in Counters
• 104 Total Check-in
• 24 Departure Boarding Gates
• Baggage System – 80 chutes, 8 transfers, 6000 bags per hour
• 12 boarding gates, Business class lounge/boarding
• 2,500 Shaded Parking Spaces
• 144,000 sqm Terminal Area
• 98 Remote a/c stands  
• Expanded taxi/limo staging area and pick up/drop off

For historical traffic numbers, please download the full Fact File.

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