Photo Credit: WAM
Dubai, UAE — February 2026 — Dubai International Airport welcomed 95.2 million guests in 2025, a 3.1 percent increase year on year, cementing its position as the busiest airport in the world for international passenger traffic and marking the highest annual volume ever recorded in its history.
Dubai Airports announced that 2025 was characterised by sustained, record-level performance across every major metric, as reported by the Emirates News Agency.
DXB recorded its busiest day, busiest month, busiest quarter, and busiest year on record, operating consistently at the edge of physical capacity while maintaining high standards of operational efficiency.
Paul Griffiths, chief executive officer of Dubai Airports, said: “Airports are often defined by moments of intensity, but long-term performance is defined by how well those moments are sustained.”
He added: “In 2025, DXB showed that record traffic is no longer an exception, but part of its operating reality. That consistency at scale reflects the maturity of the system and the strength of collaboration across our oneDXB airport community to deliver excellence under growing demand.”
December emerged as the busiest month in the airport’s history, handling 8.7 million guests, a 6.1 percent increase compared to the same month in 2024. The fourth quarter was likewise the strongest on record, with 25.1 million passengers passing through the terminals, representing growth of 5.9 percent year on year.
Flight movements totalled 118,000 during the final quarter, up 5 percent, bringing the full-year figure to 454,800, an increase of 3.3 percent compared to 2024. Despite sustained growth in aircraft movements, average passengers per movement remained robust at 214, reflecting the continued deployment of larger aircraft and strong load efficiency.
The annual load factor settled at 77.6 percent, a marginal adjustment of 0.5 percentage points.
Rather than a narrative defined by isolated surges, 2025 demonstrated DXB’s capacity to operate continuously at record volumes through disciplined planning and close coordination across the oneDXB community, encompassing airlines, service partners, and government stakeholders.
Baggage operations reached unprecedented scale, with 86.75 million bags processed during the year, a 4.95 percent increase and the highest annual volume ever handled.
Operational excellence remained a hallmark, with 89 percent of all arriving baggage delivered to passengers terminating at DXB within 45 minutes of aircraft arrival. Mishandled baggage performance remained world-class at 99.75 percent, equating to just 2.47 mishandled bags per 1,000 guests.
Guest processing times held steady despite the record volumes. More than 99 percent of passengers experienced waiting times of less than 10 minutes at departure passport control, while 98.8 percent waited under 15 minutes at arrival passport control. Security screening wait times remained below five minutes for 98.9 percent of guests.
India retained its position as DXB’s largest source market with 11.9 million passengers, followed by Saudi Arabia with 7.5 million, the United Kingdom with 6.3 million, Pakistan with 4.3 million, and the United States with 3.3 million.
Several markets posted particularly strong growth. Traffic from China surged 16.6 percent to 2.5 million passengers, Russia increased 6 percent to 2.8 million, Turkey rose 6.7 percent to 2.2 million, Egypt expanded 14.3 percent to 1.8 million, and Italy climbed 12.5 percent to 1.6 million.
London maintained its status as DXB’s busiest city destination with 3.9 million passengers, followed by Riyadh with 3 million, Mumbai and Jeddah with 2.4 million each, and New Delhi with 2.2 million.
By year’s end, DXB was connected to 291 destinations across 110 countries, served by 108 international airlines, reinforcing its standing among the most globally connected aviation hubs in the world.
As Dubai airport continues to operate at record-breaking capacity, its strategic expansion plans and advanced infrastructure investments remain central to sustaining future growth. The airport’s ability to manage increasing passenger volumes while maintaining world-class service standards highlights its role not only as a regional hub but as a critical gateway connecting East and West. With continuous upgrades in technology, smart gates, and passenger experience services, Dubai airport is positioning itself for even greater milestones in the coming years.
