E-Paper
Sign In
Dubai airport ranked second busiest as global passenger traffic reaches 10 billion in 2025
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the US was ranked the busiest airport in the world, handling 106.3 million passengers despite a 1.6 per cent decline in traffic
- PUBLISHED: Wed 15 Jul 2026, 3:55 PM
Dubai International Airport (DXB) retained its position as the world's second busiest airport in 2025, welcoming more than 95 million passengers as global air travel edged closer to the historic 10 billion-passenger mark.
According to the latest Airport Traffic Dataset released by Airports Council International (ACI) World on Tuesday, DXB handled 95.2 million passengers last year, a 3.1 per cent increase from 2024 and 10.2 per cent higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Recommended For You
Only Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the US ranked ahead of DXB, handling 106.3 million passengers despite a 1.6 per cent decline in traffic. Tokyo Haneda Airport placed third with 91.7 million passengers after recording 6.7 per cent annual growth.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
Global passenger traffic reached 9.8 billion travellers in 2025, up 3.7 per cent from the previous year and 6.5 per cent above 2019 levels. The world's 20 busiest airports handled a combined 1.59 billion passengers, accounting for 16 per cent of global air travel.
Dubai ranks among top cargo hubs
DXB also remained among the world's leading cargo hubs, ranking 11th globally after handling 2.15 million metric tonnes of cargo in 2025. While cargo volumes at the airport declined 1.4 per cent from the previous year, Dubai maintained its position as one of the busiest international freight gateways.
Globally, air cargo volumes exceeded 131 million metric tonnes in 2025, rising 3.3 per cent year on year as e-commerce growth and changes in global supply chains continued to support demand for air freight.
Asia-Pacific airports see highest gains
ACI World said Asia-Pacific airports recorded the biggest gains in the rankings, supported by infrastructure investment, improved connectivity and strong tourism demand.
Shanghai Pudong International Airport climbed from 10th to fifth place after passenger traffic increased 10.7 per cent, while Kuala Lumpur International Airport entered the top 20 after rising six places to 20th with 63.4 million passengers.
"Global air travel is approaching a historic milestone, but record demand is also exposing growing pressures on capacity," said Justin Erbacci, director general of ACI World. "The planning and investment decisions made today will determine whether aviation can meet the demands of the next generation of travellers."
Aircraft movements worldwide also continued to recover, surpassing 103.1 million in 2025, up 2 per cent from the previous year and returning to around pre-pandemic levels.
Hind Aldah is a business reporter based in Sharjah. In her spare time, you will find her playing classical guitar, painting amateur oil paintings, or crocheting the same old scarf that leads nowhere.