Dubai International Airport Dethrones London Heathrow as World’s Busiest Airport
London Heathrow Airport has lost its title as the world’s busiest hub for international passenger traffic after Dubai International Airport reclaimed the position in July, according to updates by British aviation analytics firm OAG.
Dubai International Airport returned its position as the world’s busiest international airport in July with 4.35 million scheduled seats but recorded an 18% year-on-year decline in capacity, reflecting ongoing disruption from the conflict in the Middle East, the report said.
London Heathrow ranked second with 4.23 million seats, down 1% year-on-year.
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in the Netherlands ranked third, followed by Seoul Incheon International Airport in South Korea and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in France.
The rest of the top 10 were Istanbul Airport in Turkey, Changi Airport in Singapore, Hong Kong International Airport, Frankfurt International Airport in Germany, and Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport in Spain.
The ranking of the world’s 10 busiest airports is based on scheduled airline seat capacity, using OAG’s standard methodology of comparing equivalent calendar months year-on-year.
According to OAG’s data for June 2026, London Heathrow ranked as the world’s busiest international air travel hub by passenger capacity, followed by Dubai International and Amsterdam Schiphol.
Dubai International Airport was the world’s busiest international airport in 2025 with 62.4 million international seats, increasing by 4% year-on-year, according to data from OAG.
The airport serves as the primary hub for Emirates airline and handles nearly 100 other carriers that fly to more than 240 destinations on six continents.
It boasts facilities like zen gardens, an outdoor swimming pool, a gym, cinemas, diverse dining options, and a five-star hotel.
The airport recently revealed plans to cease operations permanently by 2035, with all commercial flights set to be transferred to the nearby Al Maktoum International Airport as part of Dubai’s long-term aviation strategy.
