DXB expects to handle 311,000 passengers on January 3 alone, setting a new daily peak for the month
Dubai International Airport Poised for Record-Breaking January Passenger Traffic
Dubai International Airport (DXB) is set to welcome 4.3 million passengers in the first half of January 2025, marking what officials predict will be its busiest January on record. With daily traffic expected to peak at over 311,000 passengers on January 3, the airport is gearing up for a significant surge in travellers as it kicks off the year.
The 4.3 million passenger forecast represents an average of 287,000 daily travellers, with Dubai Airports—operator of both DXB and Dubai World Central (DWC)—noting that this is 8% higher than the same period in 2024 and 6% above pre-pandemic levels in 2018-19. “DXB is operating at volumes comparable to its busiest months ever,” the airport operator said in a statement.
The surge in traffic is attributed to a combination of factors: a post-festive season rush of international visitors departing Dubai and the return of UAE residents following the winter holidays. The high passenger volume comes just weeks after DXB’s successful handling of the December school winter break, which saw over 5.2 million passengers passing through the airport between December 13 and 31.
Dubai Airports’ impressive performance follows a strong summer season in 2024, prompting the company to revise its annual passenger forecast to 93 million, up from the previous estimate of 91.8 million. The new forecast represents a significant leap, as Dubai Airports had initially predicted that the 93 million mark would be reached by the end of 2025.
Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, expressed optimism in a statement last year, saying, “We are ahead of schedule. We’re hoping to see 93 million passengers by the end of this year, and reaching 100 million may only be a couple of years away.”
Looking further ahead, the Dubai government has announced ambitious expansion plans for Dubai World Central (DWC), which will include a new passenger terminal. Slated for completion in 2024, the project will involve an investment of $35 billion and is expected to increase DWC’s capacity to 150 million passengers annually, with plans for further expansion to 260 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo over the next decade.
The new terminal will feature cutting-edge design, five runways, and seamless intermodal connectivity, positioning it to revolutionise global air travel for the next 50 years and setting new standards for both efficiency and passenger experience.
With these ambitious plans and ongoing growth, Dubai Airports is well-positioned to maintain its status as a leading global aviation hub, continuing to set new records and enhancing its capacity to handle rising passenger volumes in the years to come.
