Dubai International Airport (DXB) has seen a significant increase in passenger numbers in the first half of 2023, surpassing the numbers from the same period in 2019. The airport welcomed 41.6 million guests in the first six months of 2023, exceeding the number of people that used the airport in the first half of 2019. This is a clear sign that airport passenger numbers are returning to levels not seen since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
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According to the airport, it registered a “robust performance” throughout the second quarter, during which passenger traffic surged by 42.7% year on year to reach 20.3 million. May 2023 was the busiest month during Q2 with 6.9 million guests and H1 2023 was up 49.1% compared to 27.9 million recorded in H1 2022. India continues to lead as DXB’s top destination country in terms of traffic with 6 million guests in the first half, followed by Saudi Arabia with 3.1 million guests, and the United Kingdom with 2.8 million guests. Other leading destinations include Pakistan (2 million guests), the US (1.8 million guests), Russia (1.3 million guests), and Germany (1.2 million guests). DXB is connected to 257 destinations across 104 countries, through more than 91 international airlines.
Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said that they started the second half with strong demand in July, and with the ongoing seasonal peak coinciding with the reopening of schools in August, they’re preparing for an exceptionally busy rest of the year. They’ve readjusted their forecast for the year from 83.6m guests to 85m, just 1.6% shy of DXB’s annual traffic in 2019.
This upward trend follows the same success seen in 2022 when DXB recorded 66 million passengers, a 127% increase from 2021. However, despite the surge in passenger numbers, Dubai International has seen a slight dip in its cargo volumes, with 853,500t managed in H1 despite a 16.1% year-on-year increase in Q2 2023. In conclusion, Dubai International Airport has seen a significant increase in passenger numbers in the first half of 2023, surpassing pre-pandemic levels and showing signs of recovery for the aviation industry.