Dubai International Airport
International airport · Dubai International Airport
Dubai Int'l Airport - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Highlights
World's busiest airport offering luxury, diverse dining, shopping
World's busiest airport offering luxury, diverse dining, shopping
"A perpetually energetic transit hub where well-known chef-driven concepts and casual comforts coexist, welcoming travelers with craveable items like chile-garlic chicken wings at The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck and inventive French pastries (vanilla-pecan éclairs) at L’Éclair de Génie. Retro diner vibes at Tranzeet offer cozy booths, milkshakes, and burgers for relaxed conversation, while a broad mix of upscale and approachable outlets ensures good meals at all hours so layovers feel indulgent rather than merely functional." - Alia Akkam
"This airport is the world’s busiest by international passenger traffic and functions as the central hub for the carrier highlighted, serving as a major gateway for frequent long-haul services such as the Dubai–Sydney route; its scale underpins the airline’s ability to deliver consistent, restaurant-style dining across long flights." - Guy Martin
"Opened in 1960 as the city’s first airfield with a single sand runway for small aircraft, this airport has since transformed into a global aviation and culinary hub, reflecting Dubai’s rapid rise from a fishing village to an international powerhouse. It hosts three gleaming terminals (the newest built in 2008), a massive duty-free operation that began in 1983, and the home carrier launched in 1985 that helped drive huge passenger growth; the facility handled a record-breaking tens of millions of travelers in recent years and has ranked as the world’s busiest airport for international traffic for a decade. Beyond flights, travelers can nap in sleep cabins, get spa treatments, and sample a wide array of dining that blends Middle Eastern, Indian, European, and American flavors. Ambitious expansion plans call for relocation and a multibillion-dollar development at a new site to create a futuristic, culturally inspired complex capable of handling hundreds of millions of passengers annually by the end of the next decade." - Alia Akkam
"One of the world’s busiest airports and the major hub for Emirates, making it a convenient transit point for travelers heading to the Middle East or Asia. The airport is frequently recommended for short stopovers—around two nights—to break long flights and sample the city without committing to a full week of travel costs; seasonal traffic follows Dubai’s tourism patterns, with fewer international visitors in summer." - Travel + Leisure Editors
"The second busiest airport in 2024 with luxury offerings and a 7% increase in capacity." - Alison Fox Alison Fox Alison Fox is a Travel + Leisure contributor. She has also written for Parents.com, The Wall Street Journal, and amNewYork. When she’s not in New York City, she can be found at the beach or on the slope
