Dubai International Airport (DXB) has maintained its position as the busiest international airport in the world for 2024, accommodating 60.236 million airline seats. This figure represents a 7 percent increase compared to the previous year, as reported by global aviation consultancy OAG. Notably, this year’s seat count is also 12 percent higher than the pre-pandemic levels recorded in 2019. The strong performance of DXB is largely attributed to the significant operations of Emirates and flydubai, which collectively offer flights to more than 265 destinations.

In addition to its impressive seat capacity, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) recently announced that the UAE experienced over 1 million air traffic movements last year. The milestone was highlighted by Emirates Flight 305 from Shanghai, which marked the one millionth air movement on December 22, 2024. As per earlier reports from Khaleej Times, the route between Dubai and Riyadh emerged as the sixth busiest globally.

Among the top contenders, Qatar’s Doha airport ranked 10th with 32.455 million seats, reflecting a 13 percent increase from the previous year. However, it slipped from its 9th position in 2023. For context, London Heathrow Airport, positioned second, lagged behind DXB by 11.877 million seats, recording a total of 48.358 million seats in 2024, which was a 4 percent increase compared to the previous year.

Seoul Incheon International Airport claimed the third spot with 41.633 million seats, while Singapore Changi, Amsterdam, Istanbul, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt International, and Hong Kong International followed in the rankings. Notably, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport led globally in 2024, with a total of 62.7 million seats, which includes both domestic and international flights.