Dubai Airport welcomed 66 million passengers last year, up 127%

Dubai Airports said that Dubai International Airport witnessed an exceptional performance during 2022, as annual passenger traffic rose to about 66 million passengers, exceeding the annual expectations of passenger numbers during the year, in light of the unprecedented numbers witnessed in the fourth quarter of the same year.

The total number of passengers through Dubai International Airport during 2022 reached more than 66 million passengers, an increase of 127% year-on-year, due to the significant increase in passenger numbers during the last quarter of the year, which amounted to about 19.7 million passengers, an estimated 67% increase over the number of passengers during the same period of 2021.

The last quarter of 2022 was characterized by being the highest performer and busiest since 2019, taking into account that December was the busiest month with about 7.1 million passengers, the first time that passenger traffic exceeded this rate since 2020.

India retained its position as the top destination for Dubai International Airport in terms of passenger numbers with a total of 9.8 million passengers, followed by Saudi Arabia in second place with a total of 4.9 million passengers, followed by the United Kingdom in third place with 4.6 million passengers. The top international destinations also included Pakistan with 3.7 million passengers, followed by the United States with a total of 3 million passengers, and finally Russia and Turkey with a total of 1.9 and 1.6 million passengers respectively, which achieved a 100% recovery indicators compared to 2019.

As for the top three destinations of cities in 2022, London topped the list with a total of 3 million passengers, followed by Riyadh with 2 million, Mumbai with 1.9 million, followed by Jeddah and New Delhi with 1.7 million passengers each.

Dubai International Airport is connected to more than 229 destinations through 88 international airlines across 99 countries.

Total air cargo in 2022 reached 1,727,815 tonnes, down 25.5% as a result of the return of most cargo flights to Dubai World Central Airport (DWC) and the restoration of full capacity of cargo aircraft to transport passengers throughout the year.

DXB's baggage handling system handled 62.2 million bags in 2022, marking the highest performance for the world's busiest international airport at 99.8% (2.2 bags per 1000,92 passengers unhandled). As for baggage delivery on arrival, 45% of all baggage was delivered within 2022 minutes. Baggage indicators achieved during 86 represent 2.2019% of the total number of baggage handled during <>.

The average expected waiting time at DXB was less than 13 minutes for more than 95.48% of arrivals passengers, while departing passengers waited less than 5 minutes for 96.24% of total passengers. The average waiting time at the security checks at departure was less than 3 minutes for 96.38% of the total number of passengers.

Paul Griffiths, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Airports, said: "We had previously anticipated that 2022 would see significant growth and recovery in the aviation sector, but passenger numbers exceeded those expectations, which motivated us to take on this challenge and turn it into an opportunity to achieve excellence globally. We have been able to accommodate the steady growth in passenger numbers throughout the year, thanks to strategic planning and continuous collaboration with all our strategic partners, as well as the dedication and dedication of all teams that have consistently provided world-class services."

Speaking about the preliminary forecast for 2023, Griffiths added: "The aviation sector is characterized by high dynamism and strong influence at the global level, as there are usually continuous developments over the years, which is what we expect during 2023, as the initial forecast of passenger traffic through Dubai International Airport indicates that it will welcome about 78 million passengers by the end of this year, especially with Dubai hosting many major international events and events including the Dubai Airshow and the COP28 climate conference, so we go with confidence. And great readiness for a year full of challenges and new opportunities. Three pillars of our priority for 2023 – Travelers, Employees and Sustainability – are key pillars to support our position as the world's busiest international airport and maintain our position as a global aviation leader."