Dubai International Airport handled 31.5 million passengers in the first half of 2026, down 31.3% from a year earlier as regional disruption linked to the Iran conflict weighed on Gulf air travel. Dubai Airports, which operates DXB and Al Maktoum International, also recorded a sharp fall in aircraft movements and weaker cargo volumes over the period.
Traffic improved in the second quarter, with June busier than April and May, and 13 million passengers passing through DXB in the three months to June. Even so, first-half aircraft movements dropped 32.1% to 150,600, while cargo volumes declined 28.7% to 751,340 tonnes. The figures underline the sensitivity of Gulf hub traffic to airspace restrictions and rerouted services during periods of regional conflict.