Dubai International Airport (DXB) has estimated that it expects over 5 million passengers to pass through its terminals from December 13th to December 31st, with almost a million travelers flying through Dubai between December 20 and December 22.
Festive airport activities
Essa Al Shamsi, the senior vice president of Terminal Operations of Dubai Airports, the managing company of Dubai International and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), said that delivering the exceptional experience that the city’s main airport has become famous for during peak travel periods has always been a challenge. However, the airport is well-prepared to face that challenge.
“This year, we are excited to welcome millions of guests while also creating moments of joy through festive activations. The Family Zone at Terminal 3 will transform into a winter wonderland featuring a unique fusion performance of carollers and beatboxers, a Magic Station offering gift-wrapping and photo opportunities, a Nutcracker marching band, and more.”
Dubai Airports estimated that 5.2 million passengers will travel through the airport from December 13th to December 31st. Out of those, around 1.7 million chose Dubai as their destination, 1.5 million will depart from Dubai, and the remaining will be transferring through the airport.
Photo: Dubai Airports
Dubai Airports highlighted that the daily average of passengers will be around 274,000, with December 20th being projected as the busiest day, with nearly 296,000 travelers flying through the airport on that day.
“The weekend from December 20 to 22 will also see peak activity, with an estimated 880,000 guests passing through.”
In comparison, on December 9, Emirates shared that in 2023, more than 75,000 of its passengers departed from Dubai International daily during the festive period. In 2024, the carrier expects the number to grow to 89,000 per day.
“The busiest days for Emirates customer departures are set to be 12 -15 December, 20 – 22 December just before Christmas, while 27, 28, and 29 December just before New Year’s Eve are also slated to see more than 88,000 customer departures per day.”
Ensuring a smooth travel experience
The company also shared several tips on how to ensure a smooth travel experience while traveling through one of the busiest, if not the busiest, holiday travel periods of the year.
Check-in early (Emirates offers home, early, and city check-in options)
Save time by placing electronics in hand luggage while adhering to liquid regulations
Photo: Yatrik Sheth | Shutterstock
Use smart gates to pass through passport control easily
Organize travel documents and familiarize with an airline’s policies before arriving at the airport
Avoid congestion by using Dubai’s metro system
Dubai Airports stated that goodbyes will have to be said at home as the airport will prohibit non-traveling individuals from entering Dubai International during peak periods.
Related Emirates Offers Tips To Fly Better This Festive Season Emirates has published a comprehensive list of ways passengers can avoid queues and reach their gates on time.
One of the busiest airports globally
Data from the aviation analytics company Cirium showed that in December, Dubai International will be the 13th busiest airport in the world in terms of weekly departures, with 4,268 weekly flights leaving the airport during the month.
However, in terms of weekly seats, Dubai International is the second-busiest in the world, just behind Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), with 1.17 million and 1.21 million weekly departing seats, respectively.
Photo: Ovidiu Dugulan | Shutterstock
Despite the stark difference in weekly itineraries, a flight leaving Dubai International in December will have an average of 276.1 seats per departure, while an itinerary leaving Atlanta will only have an average of 161.8 seats per flight during the month.
Dubai Airport Ready For Holiday Travel Surge With Over 5 Million Passengers By New Year’s Eve
