Dubai International Airport (DXB) remained the busiest airport for international passengers in 2022, according to an Airports Council International (ACI) report.   

 

The report revealed the the Top 10 busiest airports for passenger traffic, cargo and aircraft movements last year.

 

Dubai International drew 66 million passengers in 2022, a 127% increase over 2021. However, it was still 23.5% less the pre-pandemic (2019) figures.

 

London Heathrow was the second busiest with 58.2 million passengers and Amsterdam came in third with 52.4 milllion passengers. 

 

Commenting on the ranking, Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said: "We are obviously quite thrilled to top the list of the world’s busiest international airports for the ninth consecutive year, but it comes as no surprise given Dubai International’s (DXB) stellar performance throughout 2022 and the upsurge in traffic in the final quarter. 

 

"The increase in demand for air travel was universal in 2022, but what set DXB apart was the dedication of our people and the meticulous planning and preparation by each and every service partner that makes up Dubai’s amazing airport community. 

 

"As we celebrate this achievement, our focus remains on continuing to work on keeping DXB on top of the list of the busiest hubs but also having it acknowledged by travellers globally as delivering the best airport experience in the world," he said.

 

The top four airports globally (including both domestic and international) remained the same as 2021. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL) retained the top spot by welcoming  93.7 million passengers (+23.8%), followed by Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) with 73.4 million (+17.5%), Denver (DEN) in third with 69.3 million (+17.8%), and Chicago O’Hare (ORD) in fourth with 68.3 million (+26.5%). Dubai was fifth on the list.

 

Los Angeles (LAX) was in sixth place with 65.9 million (+37.3%) passengers, Istanbul (IST) seventh (64.2 million - +73.8%), London Heathrow (LHR) eighth (61.6 million -+217.7%), New Delhi (DEL) ninth (59.5 million +60.2%)  and Paris CDG (CDG) taking the 10th position (57.4 million - 119.4%.

 

From the top 10 airports globally, five are in the United States. They all have significant domestic passenger shares (between 75% and 95% domestic traffic).

 

The biggest jump in the Top 10 was recorded by London Heathrow, which rose from 54th position in the rankings in 2021 to eighth following the re-opening of borders after two years of closures.

 

ACI World director general, Luis Felipe de Oliveira, said: “The new top 10 busiest airports for passenger traffic reflects the resilience of the airport and aviation industry, and the eagerness of passengers to travel by air.

 

“While US airport hubs were able to recover quicker due to their strong domestic market, we are now witnessing global hubs joining upper ranks – including Dubai, Istanbul, and London Heathrow.

 

“The re-opening of China, the second largest aviation market after the US, is now expected to bring an overall gain, both domestically and for international travel," he said.

 

Meanwhile, air cargo volumes are estimated to have decreased by 6.7% year-over-year (-1.7% versus 2019), to close to 117 million metric tonnes in 2022. - TradeArabia News Service