Dubai International (DXB) saw a 1.5% increase in traffic in the first quarter of 2025 welcoming 23.4 million guests through its facility in the three month period.
The Gulf state airport said the start of 2025 saw it maintain “strong momentum and reinforcing its position as the world’s leading international airport”.
It added: “The performance reflects both Dubai’s growing appeal as a global destination and DXB’s continued role as the gateway of choice for millions of travellers”.
The airport connects travellers to 269 destinations in 106 countries, served by 101 international carriers.
The first quarter performance topped the same period in 2024 which was a record-breaking quarter for the airport. January alone saw the highest monthly traffic ever recorded at DXB (8.5 million).
India retained its position as DXB’s top destination country, with three million guests, followed by Saudi Arabia (1.9 million), the UK (1.5 million), Pakistan (1 million), the US (804,000), and Germany (738,000).
At the city level, London led with 935,000 guests, followed by Riyadh (759,000), Jeddah (627,000), Mumbai (615,000), and New Delhi (564,000).
Leisure travel also surged during the quarter, driven by a seasonal peak at the start of the year, Eid holidays, and spring break, with double-digit increases in traffic to destinations such as the Czech Republic (+30.6%), Vietnam (+28.6%), and Spain (+20.2%).
Cargo volumes registered a minor contraction of 3.6% year-on-year during the first quarter, with DXB handling 517,000 tonnes of cargo.
Paul Griffiths, chief executive of Dubai Airports, said, “Our Q1 performance sets a strong foundation for the year ahead, not only in terms of guest numbers, but in the calibre of the people behind them.
“Delivering the busiest month in DXB’s history while maintaining exceptional service levels cross baggage, guest flow, and accessibility is no small feat. It requires precision, agility, and an extraordinary team effort.
“What makes this possible is the collective effort of our oneDXB community, with each member playing a critical role across every touchpoint.
“This shared culture of collaboration and consistency is what elevates our performance and ensures we meet the growing expectations of our guests, every single day.”
DXB also reported 111,000 flight movements in the first quarter, up 1.9% over the same period last year, with an average of 215 guests per flight.
More than 21 million bags were processed, with the rate of mishandled baggage reduced to fewer than 1.95 bags per 1,000 guests – a success rate of 99.8%.
The airport said real-time monitoring systems and biometric passport control helped ensure that more than 95% of guests experienced minimal wait times across key airport touchpoints.
Dubai Airports has been recently recognised with the Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award, a reflection of its long-standing investment in employee wellbeing, engagement, and leadership development. It’s this commitment to people – both employees and guests – that helps show how an exceptional workplace culture drives real results.
In March, DXB was also named the world’s busiest international airport by Airports Council International (ACI) for the eleventh consecutive year.
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