DUBAI: India remained Dubai International (DXB) airport’s top destination country with 6.1 million passengers, as results of the first half of 2024 were revealed.
The world’s busiest airport for international traffic, DXB, welcomed a record 44.9 million (4.49 crore) passengers during the first six months of this year raising the bar on its contribution to Dubai’s economy.
According to the recent official release from the airport, this marked an 8 per cent year-on-year increase in passengers. DXB is connected to 269 destinations across 106 countries, served by 101 international airlines, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a leading global business and logistics hub.
Global hub
Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, commenting on the record-breaking performance, said it highlighted “our strategic importance as a global aviation hub.”
“Dubai is at the forefront of global cities when it comes to attracting talent, businesses, and tourists from around the world, and we are proud to be the gateway to the city, driving growth and enhancing the airport experience for every guest.”
He attributed the strong demand to “key source markets such as India and the gradual but certain resurgence of markets such as China.”
“We have a very optimistic outlook for the remainder of the year, and we are on track to break records with 91.8 million annual guests forecasted for 2024,” Griffiths said. According to a Reuters report, the airport’s previous annual record was 89.1 million in 2018.
Dubai attracted 9.31 million international visitors in the first half of 2024, as per the recent figures from Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, and tie in closely with the growth of Dubai’s GDP, which reached AED115 billion ($31.33 bn) in first quarter of 2024, up 3.2 per cent from the previous year.
Growing markets
The size and significance of DXB’s established and growing markets including South Asia, Western Europe, the GCC and East Asia played a crucial role in the airport’s continued success.
While India remained DXB’s top destination country in the first half, while traffic from China exceeded 1 million passengers, representing 80 per cent year-on-year growth and a 90 per cent recovery following COVID restrictions, compared with 2019 levels.
Top destinations
DXB’s top destination countries after India were Saudi Arabia with 3.7 million guests, the United Kingdom with 2.9 million guests and Pakistan with 2.3 million guests. Other significant markets include the United States (1.7 million guests), Russia (1.3 million) and Germany (1.3 million).
The top three city destinations were London with 1.8 million guests, Riyadh (1.6million) and Mumbai (1.2 million).
Key figures
The total number of flight movements at DXB reached 216,000, a 7.2 per cent increase compared with the first six months of last year. The busiest month was January with 7.9 million guests.
The average number of guests per aircraft movement was 213, and the load factor remained steady at 77 per cent compared with the first half of 2023.
Direct traffic accounted for 56 per cent of the total, witnessing a slight increase, while transfer traffic comprised 44 per cent.
Meanwhile, during the second quarter of 2024, the airport saw 21.8 million guests, an increase of 7.5 per cent compared with the same period last year and total movements were recorded at 107,000.
Enhancing guest experience
Dubai Airports also announced that in the coming months, various initiatives would be rolled out to enhance the passenger experience. These include colour-coded car parks for easier navigation, a new signature aroma in Al Majlis to create a welcoming atmosphere befitting the VIP facility, and an advanced queue management system.
