Dubai International Airport Maintains Top Global Position for International Seats in September

Dubai International Airport (DXB) has retained its status as the world's leading airport for international passenger traffic, according to data from aviation analytics provider OAG. For September, airlines have scheduled 4.34 million departing international seats, translating to approximately 8.68 million seats for both arriving and departing flights.

While DXB maintains its top position, its scheduled international capacity for September is about 15% lower than the figure recorded in September 2025. London Heathrow Airport secured the second spot with 4.07 million international seats, followed by Seoul Incheon International Airport (3.78 million), Amsterdam Schiphol (3.69 million), and Istanbul Airport (3.59 million).

Among these leading international hubs, Seoul Incheon demonstrated the strongest year-on-year growth in capacity, increasing by 9%. Amsterdam saw a 1% rise, and Istanbul a 2% increase, while London Heathrow experienced a 2% reduction compared to the previous year.

DXB's consistent performance extends beyond monthly figures, as it also maintained its title as the world's busiest airport for international passenger traffic throughout 2025, marking its 12th consecutive year at the top. The airport served a record 95.2 million passengers last year, an increase of 3.1% from 2024.

Despite a weaker first half of 2026 due to regional airspace constraints, which saw DXB handle 31.5 million passengers (down 31.3% from the same period last year), monthly traffic recovered significantly in the second quarter. By the end of June, nearly 50 international airlines operated from DXB, connecting Dubai to 217 destinations across 99 countries, with passenger load factors approaching 2025 levels.