Dubai International Airport has moved into first place globally, overtaking Atlanta in the latest aviation rankings
Dubai International Airport (DXB) has officially taken the top spot as the world’s busiest airport, beating Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the United States.
The new ranking is based on scheduled airline seat capacity for January 2026, and it puts Dubai ahead of long-time leader Atlanta for the first time in years.
How the ranking works
The data looks at how many airline seats are available for sale, across both international and domestic flights. For January 2026, airlines have scheduled around 5.5 million seats through DXB. In comparison, Atlanta is set to handle just under 5 million seats during the same period. Tokyo Haneda Airport placed third worldwide.
Atlanta has held the number one position for many years, largely to its huge domestic flight network across the US. Dubai’s rise shows a shift in global travel demand, with international hubs playing an even bigger role.
A busy start to 2026
According to Gulf News, Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said the current travel season has been exceptionally strong. He revealed that daily passenger numbers at DXB have stayed above 300,000 people a day. Between January 1 and January 11 alone, the airport was expected to welcome around 3.4 million passengers.
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Also read: Dubai Airport breaks a new record in its 65-year history
Why Dubai continues to lead
Dubai International Airport has long been one of the world’s most important aviation hubs. Its success is driven by strong tourism, a high number of connecting passengers, and the continued expansion of airline routes.
While the ranking is based on seat capacity rather than actual passenger numbers, DXB is seen as a strong indicator of expected passenger demand in the months ahead.
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