Real-time monitoring systems and biometric passport control help over 95% passengers to experience minimal wait times across key touchpoints
Dubai International (DXB) received 23.4 million passengers in the first quarter of 2025, an increase of 1.5 per cent compared to same period last year.
According to the head of the airport Paul Griffiths, US introducing tariffs has done little to dampen appetite for travel. Figures show that the number of American tourists flying to the UAE has increased compared to last year. A total of 804,000 Americans landed in Dubai in the first quarter of the year.
“We have seen an increase in capacity recently so that’s actually a good thing despite all the rhetoric,” he told an audience at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM). “We’ve actually seen an increase in the number of travellers between the US and Dubai so that’s been positive.”
He added that despite the impressive figures, it was a period of uncertainty for the industry. When asked if tariffs would impact aviation, he said it was too soon to know but he was optimistic.
“There has been volatility and the financial markets are still reeling,” he said. “The worst thing about it is that it destroys confidence. Fortunately, so far we have not seen any negative impacts. It will take time to see what the long-term impacts or any tariff reductions will be. We’re so well spread across 106 different countries with 102 airlines that if there is a diminution in demand in a particular market, that is usually compensated by increase in demand in other markets.”
Highest monthly traffic
January alone saw the highest monthly traffic ever recorded at DXB – handling 8.5 million guests – an achievement Griffiths said was made possible not just by infrastructure, but by the coordinated effort of thousands of people behind the scenes.
“We have invested in the technology and the people,” he said. “We provide much faster much more reliable levels of service. There’s about a hundred thousand people that work with DXB but we’ve unified them together in something called our One DXB program. The statement goes that is many hearts, one beat. Whoever you speak to or whoever serves you the whole idea is you get a seamless customer experience.”
India retained its position as DXB’s top destination country, with 3 million passengers, followed by Saudi Arabia (1.9 million), the UK (1.5 million), Pakistan (1 million), the US (804,000), and Germany (738,000).
At the city level, London led with 935,000 guests, followed by Riyadh (759,000), Jeddah (627,000), Mumbai (615,000), and New Delhi (564,000).
Leisure travel also surged during the quarter, driven by a seasonal peak at the start of the year, Eid holidays, and spring break, with double-digit increases in traffic to destinations such as the Czech Republic, Vietnam, and Spain.
Cargo volumes registered a minor contraction of 3.6 per cent year-on-year during the first quarter, with DXB handling 517,000 tonnes of cargo.
Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said, “Our Q1 performance sets a strong foundation for the year ahead, not only in terms of guest numbers, but in the calibre of the people behind them. Delivering the busiest month in DXB’s history while maintaining exceptional service levels cross baggage, guest flow, and accessibility is no small feat. It requires precision, agility, and an extraordinary team effort.”
DXB also recorded 111,000 flight movements in Q1, up 1.9 per cent over the same period last year, with an average of 215 guests per flight. Despite the continued growth in guest volumes, DXB sustained high levels of operational efficiency. More than 21 million bags were processed in Q1, with the rate of mishandled baggage reduced to fewer than 1.95 bags per 1,000 guests, translating to a success rate of 99.8 per cent.
Meanwhile, the use of real-time monitoring systems and biometric passport control helped ensure that more than 95 per cent of guests experienced minimal wait times across key airport touchpoints.
According to Griffiths, the airport was on track to achieving record numbers over the next two years. “We’re probably going to hit 96 million by the end of the year and we’re also pretty confident to hit the magic 100 million before the end of 2026,” he said.
The operations at DXB will be fully absorbed by the Dh128-billion Al Maktoum International (DWC) which will have the capacity to handle 216 million passengers when fully operational.
ماخذ: خلیج ٹائم
Published: 30 Apr 2025
