Dubai airport tops pre-pandemic passenger traffic in first half of the year

An influx of Russians, business professionals, relaxed social and visa rules, help fuel economic recovery of Dubai, the tourism and trade hub of the Middle East

Dubai's main airport reported a 49% surge in passenger traffic in the first half of the year to 41.6 million, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, operator Dubai Airports said on Tuesday.

The second quarter fuelled the recovery to just over 100% of traffic numbers in the first half of 2019, rising nearly 43% from the second quarter of 2022 to 20.3 million passengers, the operator said.

Dubai, the tourism and trade hub of the Middle East, was quick to reopen after the pandemic. That, along with an influx of Russians and business professionals as well as relaxed social and visa rules, helped fuel an economic recovery that has also seen property prices and rents balloon.

Dubai Airports adjusted its forecast for 2023 to 85 million passengers from 83.6 million, "just 1.6% shy of DXB's (Dubai International) annual traffic in 2019," Chief Executive Paul Griffiths said in a statement.

"We started the second half with strong demand in July, and with the ongoing seasonal peak coinciding with the reopening of schools in August, we're preparing for an exceptionally busy rest of the year."

DXB's annual passenger traffic last year was 66.1 million, Dubai Airports said in February.

The airport flew 201,800 flights in the first half, up 30.2% year-on-year. May was the second quarter's busiest month, with 6.9 million passengers.

India was DXB's top destination country in terms of traffic with 6 million passengers in the first half, followed by Saudi Arabia with 3.1 million, the United Kingdom with 2.8 million and Pakistan with 2 million. The United States, Russia and Germany had 1.8 million, 1.3 million and 1.2 million passengers, respectively.