23.4 million passengers in the first quarter

Dubai International Airport received 23.4 million passengers, during the first quarter of 2025, maintaining its strong momentum, and strengthening its position as the most crowded international airport in the world, which reflects Dubai’s growing attractiveness as a global destination, and the pivotal role that the airport plays as a preferred gate for millions of travelers around the world.

In a statement yesterday, the Dubai Airports Foundation stated that passenger traffic increased by 1.5% compared to the same period in 2024, although the first quarter of last year set a record.

January 2025 alone witnessed the highest monthly movement in the history of the airport with the reception of 8.5 million passengers, an achievement that would not have been achieved had it not been for the advanced infrastructure and great coordination among thousands of individuals working behind the “scenes”.

India maintained its lead, as the largest destination in terms of the number of passengers from and from Dubai International Airport, with about three million passengers, followed by Saudi Arabia with 1.9 million passengers, the United Kingdom with 1.5 million passengers, Pakistan with one million passengers, the United States with 804 thousand passengers, and Germany with 738 thousand passengers.

The British capital, London, at the level of the existing cities with 935 thousand passengers, followed by the Saudi capital, Riyadh, with 759 thousand passengers, then the city of Jeddah with 627 thousand passengers, the city of Mumbai with 615 thousand passengers, and New Delhi with 564 thousand passengers.

The travel for entertainment also witnessed a remarkable increase during the first quarter of this year, driven by a seasonal climax at the beginning of the year, the Eid al -Fitr holiday, and the spring vacation, where some tourist destinations recorded a significant increase in the number of travelers with double increases in the movement of passengers to destinations such as the Czech Republic, with an increase of 30.6%, Vietnam with a growth of 28.6%, and Spain with an increase of 20.2%.

In turn, the shipping movement recorded a slight decrease by 3.6% during the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, as Dubai International Airport dealt with 517 thousand tons of goods.

The CEO of the Dubai Airports Foundation, Paul Griffiths, said that “the performance of Dubai Airports in the first quarter of this year is not just numbers, but a live testimony on the dedication and efficiency of the work team, and the registration of the highest monthly passenger movement in the history of the airport, while maintaining exceptional service levels, both in terms of luggage handling and the flow of guests’ movement; It is a qualitative achievement that requires accuracy, flexibility and integrated efforts from all the relevant teams.

He added: «The secret of the success of (Dubai Airports) lies in the collective work and the unified spirit of the (OneDXB) community, where each individual plays a vital role within an integrated system, and this established culture of continuous cooperation and coordination is one of the basic pillars that contribute to promoting performance and meeting the needs of our guests constantly.

Dubai Airports confirmed that although the numbers reflect an important aspect of the airport operational performance, the human factor remains the main engine behind the excellence of Dubai International Airport.

She added: “The commitment of the (OneDXB) community, which works on the principle of (the guest first), which includes Dubai airports employees and its partners from government agencies, airlines and commercial operators, was a major factor in translating operational excellence into exceptional hospitality experiences, which reflects the quality and leadership standards adopted by Dubai airports.”

According to «Dubai Airports», among those experiences, the example presented by the missing office at Dubai International Airport in cooperation with the Dubai Police, where he managed to restore a bag containing 102 thousand dirhams in cash, along with important passports and personal documents, and returned it within 30 minutes of reporting its loss, to give the palm of two brothers who were on their way to return to their country, after receiving the news of the death of one of their family members.

This human spirit was also embodied in the position of the employee in the General Administration of Identity and Foreigners Affairs, Abdullah Al -Balushi, who stopped a guest not to conduct an inspection but to provide more time for her son to bid her farewell, and it is a gesture praised by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, may God bless him.

It is noteworthy that, last March, Dubai International Airport, its position as the most crowded international airport in terms of the number of international travelers for the 11th year in a row, according to the classification of the International Airports Council.

The airport is currently a global connection point linking travelers to 269 destinations in 106 countries, through a network of 101 international airlines.