Dubai International Airport maintained its status as the world’s busiest airport for international traffic in September 2026, with airlines scheduling approximately 4.34 million departing international seats for the month, according to data from aviation analytics provider OAG. This total corresponds to around 8.68 million seats when considering both arrivals and departures. Despite holding the top position, the scheduled international capacity at Dubai International Airport (DXB) was roughly 15 percent lower than in September 2025.

Following Dubai, London Heathrow ranked second with 4.07 million international seats, while Seoul Incheon International Airport took third place with 3.78 million seats. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and Istanbul Airport were fourth and fifth, offering 3.69 million and 3.59 million international seats, respectively.

Among these leading international hubs, Seoul Incheon demonstrated the strongest year-over-year growth, with capacity increasing 9 percent compared to the previous September. Amsterdam Schiphol rose by 1 percent, and Istanbul Airport by 2 percent, while London Heathrow experienced a 2 percent decline.

Dubai International Airport also continued its streak as the busiest airport for international passenger traffic throughout 2025, marking its 12th consecutive year at the top. The airport handled a record 95.2 million passengers last year, reflecting a 3.1 percent increase from 2024, according to Airports Council International World.

The first half of 2026, however, saw a significant downturn in traffic at DXB, largely due to regional airspace restrictions that affected aviation operations throughout the area. During that period, the airport managed 31.5 million passengers, representing a 31.3 percent decrease from the same timeframe in 2025. Despite this notable reduction, passenger numbers gradually improved in the second quarter as airline capacity resumed.