DXB delivers a strong start to 2025 with 23.4m guests in Q1

Dubai International (DXB) welcomed 23.4 million guests in the first quarter of 2025, maintaining strong momentum and reinforcing its position as the world's leading international airport.

- Staff Reporter, Gulf Today

The performance reflects both Dubai's growing appeal as a global destination and DXB's continued role as the gateway of choice for millions of travellers.

Traffic was up 1.5% compared to the same period in 2024, despite a record-breaking Q1 last year. January alone saw the highest monthly traffic ever recorded at DXB-welcoming 8.5 million guests an achievement made possible not just by infrastructure, but by the coordinated effort of thousands of people behind the scenes.

India retained its position as DXB's top destination country, with 3 million guests, 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 (+30.6%), Vietnam (+28.6%), and Spain (+20.2%).

Cargo volumes registered a minor contraction of 3.6% year-on-year during the first quarter, with DXB handling 517,000 tonnes of cargo.