Dubai airport passenger numbers to exceed 90 million in 2024

Image credit: KARIM SAHIB/ Getty Images

Dubai’s main international airport is expected to receive 90 million passengers this year, the Dubai Airports chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said during a media briefing at the Arabian Travel Market, building on the 87 million travellers the hub served in 2023.

“This means that the city needs a larger airport to keep pace with the growth of air traffic,” he added.

The latest passenger forecasts come a week after Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai approved plans to build a new passenger terminal worth $34.85bn (Dhs128bn) at Dubai World Central (DWC) in anticipation of a spike in passenger numbers.

The new passenger terminal at DWC, also known as Al Maktoum International Airport, is expected to be the largest in the world when fully operational, with the capacity to handle 260 million passengers annually.

Sheikh Ahmed said that DWC will pave the way for the expected growth in the aviation sector in Dubai for the next 40 years, supporting the Dubai Economic Agenda “D33”, which includes 100 transformative projects and ambitious economic targets that seek to double the size of the city’s economy over the next decade.

The emirate’s economy has grown exponentially over the years, supported by the resilient performance in various economic sectors including aviation, travel and tourism.

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