Dubai Airport powers through war disruption with 6 million passengers

Dubai: Dubai International Airport (DXB) handled 6 million passengers during weeks of regional disruption, maintaining global connectivity even as airspace constraints forced widespread changes to flight schedules.

Between late February and April 30, Dubai’s airports supported more than 32,000 aircraft movements and handled 213,000 tonnes of cargo, its operator Dubai Airports announced Monday.

DXB continued operating — albeit at reduced capacity — by constantly adjusting flight schedules and routes in line with available airspace.

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Q1 traffic hit by disruption

The impact of the crisis was clearly reflected in first-quarter figures.

DXB welcomed 18.6 million passengers in Q1 2026, down 20.6 per cent year-on-year, as airspace constraints intensified through March. Traffic in March alone dropped sharply to 2.5 million passengers, a 65.7 per cent decline, highlighting the severity of the disruption.

In contrast, Dubai welcomed 95.2 million passengers in 2025, its highest ever after the pandemic battered global tourism and aviation.

India remained the airport’s largest market with 2.5 million passengers, followed by Saudi Arabia (1.3 million), the UK (1.2 million) and Pakistan (918,000). London was the busiest destination city, followed by Mumbai and Jeddah.

Cargo volumes fell to 399,600 tonnes, down 22.7 per cent, while aircraft movements declined 20.8 per cent to 88,000.

Despite the pressure on operations, baggage performance remained relatively strong. DXB processed 17.6 million bags, with a mishandling rate of 3.5 per 1,000 passengers — still significantly better than the global average of around 6.3.

How DXB kept flights moving

Operations at the hub were maintained through constant coordination across airlines, ground handlers and air traffic authorities.

Capacity depended not just on DXB itself, but on the availability of flight paths across neighbouring countries — meaning schedules had to be adjusted in real time as conditions changed.

Close collaboration across the airport ecosystem, including home carriers Emirates and flydubai, helped ensure passengers and cargo continued moving even at the height of the disruption.

Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said the events were unprecedented for a global hub.

“Maintaining the smooth operation of DXB is critical to keep global journeys moving,” he said, noting that a significant share of international transfer traffic flows through the region.“Our focus has been on keeping operations safe and consistent through close coordination and rapid decision-making across the entire airport community.”

Transfer traffic key to recovery

Dubai’s position as a global aviation hub is closely tied to transfer passengers.

Of the 99.3 million passengers whose journeys could be routed through the region, around 70 per cent is captured by Middle East hubs, with DXB alone handling 32 per cent of that traffic.

As conditions stabilise, this segment is expected to recover quickly, supported by demand that cannot easily be absorbed by other airports.

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Growth outlook and expansion plans

Looking ahead, Dubai Airports expects demand to rebound strongly as airspace capacity improves.

Flight movements are already being increased, with ongoing coordination between airlines and regional authorities to unlock more capacity across the network.

The outlook for the year remains supported by strong underlying demand, with DXB well positioned to handle further growth in the coming months.

At the same time, long-term expansion plans at Al Maktoum International Airport are continuing, reinforcing Dubai’s ambitions to expand its role as a global aviation hub in the years ahead.