Dubai: 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.
According to Emirates News Agency, the strong third-quarter performance lifted total traffic for the first nine months to 70.1 million guests, representing a 2.1 percent 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 maintaining 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 within Terminal 3, CB East, and CB West, which provide premium shopping and family-friendly spaces. Within T1, CD Central offers refreshed dwell areas and easy access to major retail stores.
As Dubai Airports continues to manage growth at DXB, the preparation of Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC) marks 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, emphasized that these record-breaking results reflect the strength of Dubai’s aviation and tourism sectors. He noted that the vision for DWC goes beyond capacity expansion, aiming to reimagine and evolve the entire travel experience by combining technology, sustainability, and a superior guest experience.
India retained DXB’s top country market in the first nine months of the year with 8.8 million guests, followed by Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, and the United States. Among city destinations, London leads, followed by Riyadh, Mumbai, Jeddah, and New Delhi.
DXB also continued to serve as a key gateway for international tourism, with Malaysia, Vietnam, the Czech Republic, Uzbekistan, and Denmark ranking among the most popular destinations for outbound leisure travel. The airport 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.
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.