DXB retains status as world’s biggest international air hub

Dubai International retained its position as the world’s number one hub for international passenger traffic, with more than 78 million passengers using the airport in 2015, according to a traffic report issued by operator Dubai Airports.

Boosted by the growth of some 100 airlines that connect Dubai International to more than 240 destinations around the world, most notably Emirates and flydubai, annual passenger traffic at DXB surged 10.7 percent to reach a record 78,014,838 passengers in 2015 compared to 70,473,893 in 2014.

Passenger numbers in December 2015 totalled 7,053,243, an increase of 8.5 percent compared to 6,498,573 recorded during the same month in 2014, taking the average monthly traffic for the year to a record high of 6.5 million.

It was the second time in the year after August monthly traffic exceeded the 7 million mark.

DXB welcomed several new airlines in 2015 including Air Canada from Toronto, Eurowings from Amsterdam and China Southern from Wuhan.

Meanwhile the ongoing network expansion of Emirates and flydubai added 12 new passenger destinations to the list of routes DXB serves.

India retained its position as Dubai’s single largest destination country in 2015 with 10.4 million passengers, up 17 percent year-on-year. In second place was the UK with 5.68 million passengers (+6 percent) followed closely by Saudi Arabia with 5.47 million (+12 percent).

“It’s another banner year for Dubai International where we broke records, engaged and entertained our customers in new ways, and retained our position as the world’s number one international hub,” said Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths.

“But we have no time to rest on our laurels as we are already busy testing the readiness our newest facility, the $1.2 billion Concourse D, which when it opens for our 70 plus airlines this quarter, will play a crucial role in helping us welcome millions of passengers in comfort and style.”