Dubai International Airport (DXB) is on course to handle around 70 million passengers this year, according to Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths, as the emirate's aviation hub continues its post-pandemic climb back toward full capacity.
The airport welcomed 31.5 million passengers in the first half of 2026 alone. Monthly traffic hit 5 million in June before jumping to 6.3 million in July, a 26 percent month-on-month increase. Airline capacity has now recovered to 84 percent of previous levels, with passenger volumes at 78 percent.
For Dubai residents and businesses tied to travel, tourism, and logistics, the numbers point to a steady tightening of pressure on DXB's existing infrastructure. The airport has a maximum capacity of around 115 million passengers, and Dubai Airports expects it to reach 100 million annual passengers by the end of 2027.
Al Maktoum International's expansion moves ahead
With DXB nearing its ceiling, attention is shifting to Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), where Griffiths says plans are moving "full speed ahead." The first major phase of DWC is on track to come on stream in the early 2030s, providing capacity for 150 million passengers annually.
That initial phase will run on two runways, part of a wider plan for five runways once DWC is fully built out, four in regular use and one on standby. DWC's second runway specifically is expected to open by the end of 2027. The airport is being developed around eight operational nodes, each designed to handle approximately 32 million passengers, building toward an eventual capacity of up to 260 million passengers a year.
Rethinking the passenger journey
Griffiths framed DWC as more than a capacity fix. "DWC provides an opportunity to rethink the passenger journey, using technology to eliminate conventional processes and queues," he said.
The shift from DXB to DWC will not happen in one move. Dubai Airports has said the transition will be phased as capacity becomes available at the new site, rather than a single cutover.
Some of that phasing may start sooner than expected. Flydubai is potentially moving five or six aircraft to DWC as early as next year, an early signal of how carriers could begin shifting operations ahead of the airport's larger buildout.
What it means for Dubai travelers
For now, DXB remains the primary gateway for the emirate's international traffic, and its passenger numbers are expected to keep climbing through 2026 and 2027. But with DWC's runway and node construction advancing and airlines like flydubai already eyeing a move, the long-term shift in Dubai's aviation capacity is beginning to take shape well before the first major phase opens in the early 2030s.
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