Dubai Airports in 2026: 31.5m passengers in H1 (down 31%), 6.3m in July and a 70m target
Editorial
Dubai International handled 31.5 million passengers in the first half of 2026, down 31.3%, and July traffic of 6.3 million suggests the recovery is under way.
Source: Dubai Airports figures reported by Khaleej Times and Reuters. April to June add up to the 13.0m reported for Q2.
The first half
| Measure | H1 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Passengers | 31.5 million | -31.3% |
| Aircraft movements | 150,600 | -32.1% |
| Bags processed | 30.3 million | -28% |
| Q2 passengers | 13.0 million | Q1 about 18.5m (our calculation) |
| Implied H1 2025 passengers | about 45.9 million | Our calculation from the 31.3% fall |
Reports tie the fall to regional airspace restrictions and flight suspensions during the conflict. Q1 traffic was down 20.6% according to one outlet.
What it takes to hit 70 million
Dubai Airports now expects about 70 million passengers for 2026, down from an earlier target of 100 million, CEO Paul Griffiths told Reuters. With 31.5 million handled in the first half and July at 6.3 million, the airport needs an average of about 6.4 million a month for the rest of the year (our calculation: 38.5 million over six months). July was already close to that pace.
Griffiths said capacity had recovered to 84% of pre-war levels and passenger numbers to 78%. He added that, conservatively, the 100 million a year target could be reached by the end of next year.
- Q1 2026 Traffic falls as the regional conflict begins; March is hit hardest.
- Apr to Jun Monthly traffic rises from 3.5m to 5.0m.
- 26 Aug Dubai Airports publishes H1: 31.5m passengers.
- July 6.3m passengers, 26% above June.
- 7 Sep CEO tells Reuters to expect 70m for the year.