With passenger volume for the first half of the year above 2019 levels, Dubai International (DXB) has announced a big victory in its recovery. In H1, the busiest international hub in the world welcomed 41.6 million visitors, an increase of well over 100% from the volume of traffic seen in the first half of 2019.
The second quarter saw DXB have a strong performance, with passenger traffic increasing by 42.7% year over year to 20.3 million. With 6.9 million visitors, May was the busiest month during Q2.
DXB’s H1 traffic totaled 41.6 million visitors, up 49.1% over the 27.9 million guests registered in H1 2022 thanks to a robust Q2.
Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said, “It’s been a rewarding first half for Dubai International and amidst increasing guest numbers, we take great pride in knowing we are continuously delivering with operational excellence and providing an exemplary guest experience.
“As we recover with our H1 traffic surpassing pre-pandemic levels, we remain committed to ensuring every guest who travels through our airport leaves with a smile.”
In H1 2023, DXB’s luggage performance grew by 7% over pre-pandemic H1 2019 levels, maintaining its position as a global leader. DXB has handled almost 37.2 million bags so far this year without interfering with the delivery of luggage to consumers; 92% of all baggage was delivered to clients within 45 minutes.
In H1 2023, DXB managed a number of seasonal peak times and continues to deliver a flawless customer experience by achieving agreed-upon KPIs with the help of the airports’ strategic partners.
Numerous awards were given to DXB, including a certification from Airports Council International for its continued efforts to prioritize providing passengers with physical and hidden disabilities with a safe and inclusive airport experience. It welcomed a number of fresh airlines to the DXB family, enhancing connectivity to further new locations and nations.
With 6 million visitors in the first half, India maintained its lead as DXB’s top destination country in terms of traffic. Saudi Arabia came in second with 3.1 million visitors, while the United Kingdom came in third with 2.8 million visitors. Other popular travel destinations include Pakistan (2 million visitors), the U.S. (1.8 million visitors), Russia (1.3 million visitors), and Germany (1.2 million visitors).
London topped the list of popular city destinations with 1.7 million visitors, followed by Mumbai with 1.2 million and Riyadh with 1.2 million.
Through more than 91 foreign carriers, DXB is accessible to 257 destinations in 104 countries.
The second quarter saw a 16.1% year-over-year increase in cargo volumes at DXB, reaching 453,500 tonnes. This brought the year’s overall freight volume to 853,500 tonnes, a 6.2% decrease from last year.
DXB handled 201,800 flights in total in the first half, up 13% from H1 2019 and up 30.2% year over year. During the first half, there were an average of 214 passengers on each trip, with a load factor of 77%.