Dubai International Airports handles 70.1m passengers in first nine months

 Dubai International (DXB) achieved the highest quarterly traffic in its 65-year history in Q3 2025, welcoming 24.2 million guests between July and September – a 1.9 percent increase year-on-year. 

The strong third-quarter performance lifted total traffic for the first nine months to 70.1 million guests, representing a 2.1 per cent increase over the same period last year. The airport’s twelve-month rolling traffic at the end of September reached a record 93.8 million guests. 

Aircraft movements also remained robust, with 115,000 total flights recorded in the third quarter. Between January and September, DXB handled 336,000 flights across all categories, up 2.7 percent year-on-year. The average number of passengers per aircraft at the end of September stood at 213. 

While DXB continues to deliver exceptional operational performance, Dubai Airports’ focus is firmly on continuing to maintain the superb performance whilst getting ready for its next leap forward. 

Future priority projects to enhance areas across all terminals are underway and include CB Central – a unique space within Terminal 3 that showcases Dubai’s biggest and best brands and experiences. CB East – a dynamic family-friendly space with mainstream eateries and entertainment areas for all ages. CB West – the new centre of DXB, providing premium shopping and casual dining experiences for passengers. 

Within T1, CD Central – the space located in the middle of Concourse D, with panoramic views of the airfield, refreshed dwell areas, innovative passenger information and easy access to major retail stores. 

As Dubai Airports continues to manage growth at DXB, Dubai Airports is also looking to the future with the preparation of Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International (DWC), marking the beginning of Dubai’s new aviation era. 

Set to take over as the city’s main international gateway in the early 2030s, DWC is being purpose-built as a future-ready, smart global aviation hub that will elevate efficiency, connectivity, and sustainability to new standards. 

Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said: “These record-breaking results reflect the continued strength of Dubai’s aviation and tourism sectors, and to the collective efforts of our oneDXB airport community. Yet, it also reinforces the importance of what comes next. The vision for DWC goes beyond capacity expansion – it represents the reimaging and evolution of the entire travel experience. Our goal is not just to grow, but to grow intelligently by combining technology, sustainability, and a superior guest experience, which will shape the future of global travel.”.

India retained DXB’s top country market in the first nine months of the year with 8.8 million guests, followed by Saudi Arabia (5.5 million), the United Kingdom (4.6 million), Pakistan (3.2 million), and the United States (2.4 million). 

Among city destinations, London leads with 2.8 million guests, followed by Riyadh (2.3 million), Mumbai (1.8 million), Jeddah (1.7 million), and New Delhi (1.6 million). 

DXB also continued to serve as a key gateway for international tourism, with Malaysia (687,000 guests), Vietnam (493,000), the Czech Republic (341,000), Uzbekistan (312,000), and Denmark (239,000) ranking among the most popular destinations for outbound leisure travel. 

DXB maintained strong performance across all service areas, handling 63.8 million bags in the first nine months of the year, up 6.2 percent year-on-year and a record high for the period. Of these, 90 percent of bags reached guests within 45 minutes of the aircraft arriving on the stand. Mishandled baggage accuracy remained high at 99.9 percent, equating to only two mishandled bags per 1,000 guests. 

During the third quarter, 99.6 percent of departing guests cleared passport control in under 10 minutes, and 99.8 percent of arriving guests waited less than 15 minutes. Security screening times stayed below 5 minutes for 99.7 percent of travellers, reflecting DXB’s focus on efficiency and a seamless guest journey even at peak volumes. 

The airport’s record performance underscores Dubai’s position as a global economic hub, where aviation continues to play a central role in driving tourism, trade, and investment.

WAM