Dubai Airports sees H1 traffic drop by a third, expects recovery in second half

Dubai Airports has reported a sharp decline in first-half 2026 traffic, blaming disruption from the war involving Iran earlier in the year. Passenger numbers at Dubai International fell 31.3% year-on-year to 31.5 million. Aircraft movements dropped 32.1% to 150,600. Cargo throughput fell too, down 28.7% to 751,340 tonnes.

The operator said airspace closures and weaker demand followed strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran at the end of February, along with retaliatory missile fire that reportedly damaged some airport terminals in the region.

Dubai Airports chief executive Paul Griffiths said the first half of the year had tested the aviation system but showed it could hold up, and that demand was responding as capacity returned. The company expects stronger momentum in the second half, pointing to recovering airline networks and frequencies, the return of international transfer traffic, and the easing of government travel advisories.

According to Dubai Airports, load factors at Dubai International were nearing 2025 levels by the end of the first half, with international connectivity still expanding.

The wider Gulf aviation sector felt the effects of the conflict as well. Regional carriers took steps in June to draw passengers back through their hubs, including offering travel insurance tied to conflict-related disruption. Qatar Airways said early that month it had restored 85% of its pre-war network. That figure reflected a broader push among Gulf airlines to rebuild schedules and passenger confidence after the disruption.