Dubai International Airport leads global international seat capacity

Dubai International Airport (DXB) maintained its position as the world’s busiest airport for international seat capacity in September 2026. According to data from aviation provider OAG, the airport scheduled 4.34 million departing international seats, totaling approximately 8.68 million seats across both arriving and departing flights.

London Heathrow ranked second with 4.07 million international seats, followed by Seoul Incheon International Airport with 3.78 million. Amsterdam Schiphol placed fourth with 3.69 million seats, and Istanbul Airport rounded out the top five with 3.59 million seats. Among the leading hubs, Seoul recorded the highest year-on-year growth at 9%.

While DXB remains the global leader, its scheduled international capacity for September was approximately 15% lower than in September 2025. Passenger traffic in the first half of 2026 was impacted by regional airspace constraints, with the airport handling 31.5 million passengers during that period. However, monthly traffic showed signs of strengthening through the second quarter as airline capacity and connectivity returned.