India Remains Most Popular Destination for Travellers at DXB

Dubai International Airport (DXB) has witnessed a significant increase in passenger traffic, with over 21.2 million passengers travelling through the airport in the first quarter of 2023.

This brings the traffic almost back to pre-pandemic levels, following the airport’s impressive performance last year when it welcomed 66 million travellers and retained its title as the busiest international hub for the ninth consecutive year.

Top Destinations for Travellers

Of the 21.2 million passengers, India remained the most popular destination, with 3 million passengers. Saudi Arabia followed with 1.6 million passengers, while the UK and Pakistan had 1.4 million and 1 million passengers, respectively. Other nations on the list include the US (840,000), Russia (729,000), and Germany (628,000).

First Quarter 2023 Traffic Figures

Compared to the first quarter of 2022, passenger traffic increased by 55.8% in the first three months of 2023. The average monthly traffic surpassed 7 million passengers for the first time since the fourth quarter of 2019.

The busiest month in the first quarter was March, with 7.3 million passengers. This is the highest monthly traffic since January 2020, making it the busiest month in the first quarter.

International Connections

Currently, DXB is connected to 234 destinations in 99 different nations by 89 scheduled international carriers.

Among the top cities for passenger numbers was London, with 890,000 passengers, followed by Mumbai, Jeddah, and Riyadh with 645,000, 641,000, and 604,000 passengers, respectively.

Airfares Expected to Rise Before Summer

Industry experts predict airfares to increase even further before the summer vacation season, especially for popular destinations such as the UK, Egypt, the GCC, and the Indian subcontinent.

According to travel industry executives, airfares to Asia, the Middle East, and the UK started to rise in February and March as more people began planning their trips well in advance. Airfares to London are expected to increase during the peak travel periods of the summer, particularly during Eid Al Adha at the end of June.

Air India Increases Frequency on UAE Route

Air India has increased its frequency on the UAE route over the summer, bringing temporary stability for a few days.