UAE aviation sector experiencing 'trampoline bounce' in growth despite disruption, says airport chief

Dubai Airports chief executive Paul Griffiths highlighted the sector's impressive growth, describing it as a "trampoline bounce" effect, despite the ongoing Iran conflict. According to Griffiths, Dubai International Airport (DXB) welcomed 31.5 million guests in the first half of 2026, with traffic increasing steadily throughout the year.

Monthly passenger traffic reached a peak of 6.3 million in July, marking a 26% increase in a single month. The airport's current airline capacity has risen to 84% of its previous levels, while passenger volumes have reached 78% of their pre-war figures.

Griffiths pointed out that while some airlines remain grounded due to the conflict, most are expected to resume operations by the start of the next winter season. Dubai Airports projects the airport to handle around 70 million passengers in 2026, with the goal of reaching 100 million passengers by the end of 2027.

The Dubai Aviation Centre (DWC) is currently under development and aims to commence operations in the early 2030s. The first phase of DWC will add capacity for 150 million passengers annually, enabling Dubai to surpass DXB's maximum passenger capacity of around 115 million. DWC will also feature a second runway by the end of 2027, with the airport designed to have five runways, four in regular use and one on standby.

The shift from DXB to DWC will be phased, with flydubai beginning to move aircraft as early as next year, followed by further transitions over several months.