8.68 Million Seats Keep DXB Atop Global Airport Rankings for September
Airlines have scheduled 4.34 million departing international seats out of Dubai International Airport for September 2026, keeping the concourses at DXB in the top global spot. That figure translates to roughly 8.68 million seats combined across arriving and departing flights over the coming month.
International Flight Schedules Expand Across Local Terminals
Data from aviation data provider OAG places DXB ahead of all other major international hubs for September capacity. London Heathrow took second place with 4.07 million departing international seats, while Seoul Incheon International Airport followed in third with 3.78 million. Amsterdam Schiphol and Istanbul Airport rounded out the top five with 3.69 million and 3.59 million seats, respectively.
While DXB’s scheduled capacity for September sits about 15 percent lower than the same month last year, flight schedules have been rebuilding steadily. First-half passenger volumes across the airport hit 31.5 million, a 31.3 percent drop compared to the first six months of 2025, after regional airspace constraints disrupted flight paths across the Middle East. Traffic picked up through the second quarter as carriers returned to regular routes. By the end of June, nearly 50 international airlines were operating out of DXB, linking the runways directly to 217 destinations across 99 countries.
Other global hubs saw mixed year-on-year movements in their September capacity. Seoul registered the strongest growth among the top five hubs with a 9 percent increase, while Amsterdam rose 1 percent and Istanbul gained 2 percent. Heathrow’s international capacity fell 2 percent compared to September 2025.
Airports Council International World previously confirmed that DXB handled a record 95.2 million passengers across 2025, up 3.1 percent from 2024, securing its title as the world’s busiest international airport for a 12th consecutive year.
