Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC) have entered the winter travel season with network expansion as airlines add routes and increase capacity to meet demand.
Direct traffic now accounts for 55 per cent of passenger demand at DXB during the winter season. The increase forms part of a pattern that occurs each year, driven by the climate, events in business, sports and entertainment, residents travelling abroad for holidays or family visits, and people choosing to live in Dubai.
“Winter is always a pivotal period for Dubai’s aviation sector, and the breadth of this season’s network shows how strongly demand continues to evolve. The growth in direct traffic across both of our airports reflects a balanced mix of inbound visitors, outbound travel from residents and the many people choosing to make Dubai their home. It is a reminder that our connectivity is not only expanding but becoming more diverse and resilient,” Robert Whitehouse, Vice President of Research at Dubai Airports said in a statement.
FlyArystan and Austrian Airlines launch new Dubai airport services
FlyArystan joined the network on November 29 with twice-weekly flights from Aktau in Kazakhstan. Austrian Airlines returned on 2 December with five services per week from Vienna.
Capacity from carriers in Europe is rising. Virgin Atlantic has deployed the A350-1000 on its Dubai route, increasing seat capacity by 52 per cent. British Airways has restored A380 services from London Heathrow.
Varesh Airline introduced twice-weekly flights from Sari in Iran on October 30. Fly Jinnah added twice-weekly services from Lahore on November 2.
Saudi Arabia traffic grows 459 per cent at Dubai World Central airport
Saudi Arabia is DXB’s second-largest country market at 7.8 per cent of passengers as of October year-to-date. Traffic from Saudi Arabia reached 6.3 million across DXB and DWC, up 1.3 per cent year-on-year. DWC recorded an increase of 459 per cent to 173,000 passengers.
DWC welcomed 1.1 million passengers in the first 10 months of the year, a 36.6 per cent increase. Demand came from CIS, GCC and Western European markets. Cargo and aircraft movement figures continue to grow.
Eurowings has launched a service from Stuttgart to DXB with one flight per day. The airline operates a Düsseldorf service at DWC three times per week and has increased frequencies to Berlin, Cologne and Hannover. The Berlin route includes Premium Bizclass.
The schedule changes reflect confidence from airline partners in Dubai’s travel demand. The city attracts visitors, business travellers and people who choose Dubai as their home, contributing to growth in direct traffic.
