5 October 2026
Dubai International Airport (DXB) is the world’s busiest international airport in October 2026. According to OAG scheduled capacity data, airlines have filed 4,569,653 departing international seats at DXB for the month, about 4.6 million, or around 9.2 million seats counting both directions. That is 5.3% more than in September, when DXB had 4.34 million seats, and about 450,000 seats ahead of London Heathrow, second with 4.12 million. Seoul Incheon is third with 3.94 million. OAG also notes that DXB capacity is still 15% below October 2025. The October ranking was reported by Gulf News on 5 October 2026.
The October 2026 international ranking
OAG, the UK aviation data company, counts the seats that airlines have loaded into their published schedules for a given month. For the international ranking it counts only seats on international flights. The top 10 for October 2026 looks like this:
| Rank | Airport | International seats, October 2026 | Change vs October 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dubai International (DXB) | 4.57 million | -15% |
| 2 | London Heathrow (LHR) | 4.12 million | -2% |
| 3 | Seoul Incheon (ICN) | 3.94 million | +6% |
| 4 | Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) | 3.72 million | +1% |
| 5 | Singapore Changi (SIN) | 3.68 million | +3% |
| 6 | Istanbul (IST) | 3.56 million | -2% |
| 7 | Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) | 3.47 million | +2% |
| 8 | Hong Kong (HKG) | 3.46 million | +5% |
| 9 | Frankfurt (FRA) | 3.39 million | +2% |
| 10 | Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK) | 2.76 million | +4% |
Seoul Incheon shows the strongest growth in the top 10, at 6%. Singapore Changi moved up from sixth to fifth, Hong Kong from ninth to eighth, and Bangkok Suvarnabhumi entered the top 10 from 11th place a year earlier. Heathrow and Istanbul are both 2% below October 2025.
Month on month: from 4.34 million to 4.57 million seats
In September 2026 DXB also ranked first, with 4.34 million departing international seats, against 4.07 million at Heathrow and 3.78 million at Incheon. In October DXB added about 230,000 seats, a rise of 5.3%, while Heathrow added about 50,000. As a result the gap between the first and second airport widened to about 450,000 seats in a single month.
The year on year comparison tells a different part of the story. In both September and October, OAG puts DXB capacity about 15% below the same month of 2025. OAG links this decline to the ongoing disruption from the conflict in the Middle East. DXB holds first place because its base is large: even with 15% fewer seats than a year ago, it schedules more international seats than any other airport.
DXB in the global ranking by total seats
OAG publishes a second ranking that counts all seats, domestic and international. There, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson leads with 5.44 million seats in October 2026, followed by Chicago O’Hare with 5.00 million and Tokyo Haneda with 4.74 million. DXB ranks sixth with the same 4,569,653 seats, down from second place in October 2025.
The figure is identical in both rankings because DXB has no domestic flights: every seat at the airport is an international seat. Atlanta, Chicago, Haneda, Guangzhou and Shanghai Pudong, which rank above Dubai by total seats, carry large domestic traffic. On international connectivity alone, none of them is in the top 10.
Passenger traffic in 2026
Seat capacity is a forward measure of what airlines plan to fly. Passenger numbers show what happened. According to Dubai Airports, DXB handled 31.5 million passengers in the first half of 2026, 31.3% fewer than in the first half of 2025, as regional airspace restrictions affected airline operations. Traffic recovered month by month through the second quarter:
- April 2026: 3.5 million passengers.
- May 2026: 4.5 million passengers.
- June 2026: 5 million passengers.
- Second quarter in total: 13 million passengers.
Aircraft movements in the first half totalled 150,600, down 32.1%, and cargo volumes reached 751,340 tonnes, down 28.7%. By the end of June almost 50 international airlines were operating at DXB, connecting it with 217 destinations in 99 countries.
At a Government of Dubai Media Office briefing on 11 September 2026, Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said July traffic reached 6.3 million passengers, that airline capacity was back to 84% of previous levels and passenger volumes to 78%, and that DXB expects about 70 million passengers for the full year 2026. We covered that briefing, including the plan to move operations to Al Maktoum International, in our article on DXB reaching 1.5 billion passengers.
For reference, DXB handled a record 95.2 million passengers in 2025 and, according to Airports Council International, was the world’s busiest airport for international passengers for the 12th consecutive year.
What the ranking means for companies in Dubai
The OAG ranking does not change any rule, fee or procedure for companies in the UAE. It is a measure of how many international seats airlines have scheduled from Dubai. For founders, investors and staff who travel in and out of the country, three points follow directly from the data:
- Dubai remains the largest international departure point in the world in October 2026, with 4.57 million seats in one month.
- Capacity is rising month on month, by 5.3% from September to October, but it is still 15% below October 2025.
- At the end of June DXB was connected to 217 destinations in 99 countries, with almost 50 international airlines.
Several steps in setting up and running a UAE company require the person to be physically in the country. A residence visa involves a medical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics in the UAE. Banks usually hold a meeting with the shareholder or signatory as part of the account opening review. When these steps are planned around flights, the availability of direct routes from the founder’s home city matters.
How Atlant Capital can help
Atlant Capital supports entrepreneurs who set up and run companies in the UAE. We handle company setup in free zones and on the mainland, from the choice of activity and licence to the establishment card. We plan the steps that need the founder in Dubai, the medical test, biometrics and bank meeting, so that they fit into as few trips as possible, and we arrange work permits and residence visas for founders and staff. Our guide to company formation in the UAE explains the full sequence, documents and timelines.
Conclusion
In October 2026 Dubai International keeps first place among the world’s international airports, with 4.57 million departing seats, 5.3% more than in September and about 450,000 more than London Heathrow. OAG data also shows the other side: DXB capacity is still 15% below October 2025, and in the ranking by total seats the airport is sixth, down from second a year ago. Dubai Airports expects about 70 million passengers in 2026, after 31.5 million in the first half.
Source: Gulf News, OAG, Busiest Airports in the World, October 2026.
FAQ
What is the busiest international airport in the world in October 2026?
Dubai International (DXB) is the busiest international airport in October 2026, with 4.57 million departing international seats according to OAG. London Heathrow is second with 4.12 million and Seoul Incheon third with 3.94 million. The gap between Dubai and Heathrow is about 450,000 seats.
How many international seats does Dubai airport have in October 2026?
Airlines have scheduled 4,569,653 departing international seats at DXB for October 2026, about 9.2 million counting both directions. That is 5.3% more than the 4.34 million seats in September 2026, but about 15% fewer than in October 2025.
Why is Dubai only sixth among the world’s busiest airports by total seats?
OAG’s total ranking counts domestic and international seats together, and Atlanta, Chicago O’Hare, Tokyo Haneda, Guangzhou and Shanghai Pudong carry large domestic traffic. DXB has no domestic flights, so its 4.57 million seats are all international. In October 2025 DXB was second in the total ranking.
How many passengers did Dubai International handle in 2026?
DXB handled 31.5 million passengers in the first half of 2026, down 31.3% year on year because of regional airspace restrictions. Monthly traffic rose from 3.5 million in April to 5 million in June and 6.3 million in July. Dubai Airports expects about 70 million passengers for the full year 2026.
