Dubai International Airport (DXB) has retained its position as the world’s busiest international airport for the ninth consecutive year, based on the international passengers enplaned and deplaned, outperforming other hubs across the GCC according to Airports Council International (ACI) data published on Wednesday.
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DXB ranked fifth globally, based on the number of total passengers enplaned and deplaned with transit passengers counted once, outperforming Los Angeles (LAX), Istanbul (IST), and London Heathrow (LHR) airports, with more than 66 million passengers in 2022.
Propelled by the recovery of international travel, global passenger traffic reached nearly seven billion in 2022, marking a 53.5% increase compared to 2021, and a 73.8% recovery from pre-pandemic results.
According to Dubai Airports CEO, Paul Griffiths, the title comes as “no surprise,” given DXB’s stellar performance throughout 2022 and the upsurge in traffic in the final quarter.
“The increase in demand for air travel was universal in 2022, but what set DXB apart was the dedication of our people and the meticulous planning and preparation by each and every service partner that makes up Dubai’s amazing airport community,” Griffiths added, stressing that the airport’s preparedness backed by collaboration has enabled it to not just accommodate the rapid increase in demand but also deliver “tangible enhancement” in service quality and overall airport experience for the 66 million passengers that passed through DXB during the year.
The top 10 airports for total passenger traffic accounted for 10% of global traffic, marking a 51.7% improvement from 2021 results.
Out of the top 10 airports on the list, five spots were secured by US airports, including Atlanta (ATL) Dallas, Fort Worth (DFW), Denver (DEN), Chicago (ORD), and Los Angeles (LAX).
LHR recorded the biggest improvement year-on-year, jumping from the 54th position in 2021 to the eighth position in 2022, supported by the reopening of UK borders in March 2022 after two years of closures.
“The new top 10 busiest airports for passenger traffic reflects the resilience of the airport and aviation industry and the eagerness of passengers to travel by air. While US airport hubs were able to recover quicker due to their strong domestic market, we are now witnessing global hubs joining upper ranks—including Dubai, Istanbul, and London Heathrow Airport,” ACI World director-general, Luis Felipe de Oliveira said, adding that “while we continue to march forward cautiously amidst multiple headwinds that could impact the speed and magnitude of global air traffic recovery, the latest rankings represent an important milestone in reaching pre-pandemic levels. The re-opening of China, the second largest aviation market after the US, is now expected to bring an overall gain, both domestically and for international travel.”
