Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 13 August 2025: Dubai International (DXB) is gearing up for a busy end to the summer holidays, with families returning from vacation and students travelling back to Dubai ahead of the new academic year.
Between 13 and 25 August 2025, DXB is expected to welcome more than 3.6 million guests, with daily averages reaching 280,000. The busiest day is forecast for Friday, 15 August, with traffic set to exceed 290,000.
The back-to-school surge follows a record-breaking first half of 2025, which saw Dubai welcome 9.88 million international overnight visitors—a 6% increase year-on-year—and DXB handle over 46 million guests, reaffirming its position as the world’s biggest international airport.
Dubai Airports is working with the oneDXB community including airlines, control authorities, and commercial and service partners, to ensure a seamless, stress-free journey for every guest during this busy travel period.
Here are some top essential tips and guidance to help guests navigate the airport with ease.
Arrivals tips for a smooth welcome at DXB:
- For those travelling with families, children over the age of 12 can use Smart Gates to speed up the passport control process.
- Keep passports, boarding passes, and any necessary visas handy to speed up clearance.
- Make the most of the DXB experience with various amenities in lounges, dining and shopping outlets, and duty-free.
- Use the Dubai Metro, with stations conveniently located at DXB’s Terminals 1 and 3. Guests can also choose from a variety of other transport options, including Uber, Careem, RTA taxis, or car rentals.
- Enhanced support is available for People of Determination, including marked accessibility routes, discreet assistance for guests wearing Sunflower Lanyards, and a dedicated Assisted Travel Lounge in Terminal 2.
About Dubai Airports
- Dubai Airports operates both of Dubai’s airports, Dubai International (DXB) and Al Maktoum International (DWC).
- As an integrator, Dubai Airports works to balance the interests of all stakeholders to maintain aviation growth, protect operational resilience and ensure that service providers collaborate to provide a safe and secure service, and improve customer experience whilst maintaining a sustainable business.
- In 2024, DXB welcomed a total of 92.3 million guests, the highest annual traffic in its history.
- DWC embodies Dubai’s vision for the future of aviation. With expansion plans announced in May 2024, involving a record investment of US$35b, DWC aims to reshape the aviation landscape.
- Over the next decade, DWC will accommodate 150m passengers annually, eventually expanding to 260m passengers and 12m tonnes of cargo.
- With five runways, futuristic design and seamless intermodal connectivity, DWC aims to revolutionise global air travel, setting new standards for efficiency and passenger experience for the next 50 years.
- High-resolution images of DXB are available here: Media Library
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