Dubai International Airport (DXB) has begun scaling up operations following the full reopening of UAE airspace. The General Civil Aviation Authority announced the lifting of temporary restrictions imposed due to the Iran war, which started on February 28, 2026, after evaluating operational and security conditions in coordination with relevant authorities.
Between late February and April 30, Dubai airports handled 6 million passengers, over 32,000 aircraft movements, and 213,000 tonnes of cargo despite airspace constraints that disrupted regional flight schedules. In Q1 2026, DXB recorded 18.6 million passengers, a 20.6 percent decline year-on-year, with March traffic dropping 65.7 percent to 2.5 million. Cargo volumes fell 22.7 percent to 399,600 tonnes, and aircraft movements decreased 20.8 percent to 88,000.
India led origin markets with 2.5 million passengers, followed by Saudi Arabia (1.3 million), the United Kingdom (1.2 million), and Pakistan (918,000). London was the top destination city.
Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, noted that international transfer traffic through DXB represents 32 percent of Middle East hub transfers, accounting for 22.4 million annual passenger journeys. Emirates has restored operations to 80 percent of pre-war capacity, and Etihad to 75 percent. The airport is increasing flight movements and aligning capacity with regional routing availability amid ongoing coordination with neighboring airspace.