Dubai International (DXB) achieved a milestone by DXB Welcomes Record 44.9 Million Guests in First Half of 2024, Boosting Dubai’s Economy. This significant achievement sets a new benchmark for its impact on the city’s economic landscape.

With an 8% increase in visitors compared to the previous year, DXB has strengthened its position as the world’s top gateway. This growth is attributed to the airport’s excellent connectivity to major international markets and its crucial role in driving Dubai’s economic expansion.

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In the first half of 2024, Dubai attracted 9.31 million international visitors, reflecting the city’s growing status as a global hub for talent, business, and investment. The Department of Economy and Tourism in Dubai reported these figures, which align with the city’s GDP growth of 3.2%, reaching AED 115 billion in the first quarter of 2024.

Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, commented on the achievement: “The record-breaking performance in the first half of this year underscores our strategic role as a global aviation hub. Dubai excels in drawing talent, businesses, and tourists from around the globe. We are proud to be the gateway to the city, driving growth and improving the airport experience for every guest. Strong demand from key markets like India and the steady recovery of markets like China have been vital to our success. We are optimistic about the rest of the year and are on track to set new records with a forecast of 91.8 million annual guests for 2024.”

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Established and Growing Markets

DXB’s success is significantly influenced by its key and expanding markets, including East Asia, Western Europe, South Asia, and the Gulf Cooperation Council. India remains the top destination country with 6.1 million passengers in the first half of 2024, while traffic from China surged to 1 million passengers, marking an 80% increase from the previous year and a 90% recovery compared to 2019 levels.

Following India, the United Kingdom (2.9 million visitors), Pakistan (2.3 million visitors), and Saudi Arabia (3.7 million visitors) are the leading destination countries for DXB travelers. Other notable markets include Germany (1.3 million visitors), Russia (1.3 million), and the United States (1.7 million visitors). London, Riyadh, and Mumbai were the top three city destinations, with 1.8 million, 1.6 million, and 1.2 million visitors respectively.

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Dubai’s status as a major international business and logistics center is reinforced by DXB’s service of 101 international airlines and its connections to 269 destinations across 106 countries.

Key Figures

The airport recorded 216,000 flight movements in the first half of the year, a 7.2% increase from the previous year. January was the busiest month with 7.9 million visitors. DXB handled 39.7 million bags in the first half of 2024, marking a 6.7% year-over-year increase and setting a new record. Notably, 92% of arriving baggage was delivered to passengers within 45 minutes of the aircraft’s arrival, showcasing the airport’s commitment to operational excellence.

The average number of guests per aircraft movement was 213, maintaining a load factor of 77%. Transfer traffic accounted for 44% of the total, with direct traffic making up 56%. The second quarter of 2024 saw 21.8 million visitors, a 7.5% increase from the same period last year, with 107,000 total movements.

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Enhancing the Guest Experience

Dubai Airport is set to introduce several innovations to enhance the visitor experience, focusing on operational excellence and seamless travel. Upcoming improvements include an advanced queue management system, a new signature scent in Al Majlis to enhance the VIP facility, and color-coded parking lots for easier navigation.

DXB’s real-time monitoring system helps anticipate and prevent lines at various touchpoints, ensuring a more efficient and seamless travel experience. In the first half of the year, 98% of visitors waited less than 10 minutes at departure passport control and under 15 minutes at arrival passport control. Additionally, 95% of visitors went through security screening in under three minutes.