Dubai: Dubai International Airport has retained its position as the world’s busiest airport for international traffic in September, with airlines scheduling 4.34 million departing international seats for the month, according to aviation data provider OAG. The figure is equivalent to about 8.68 million seats across arriving and departing flights. Despite holding on to the top position, DXB’s scheduled international capacity is about 15 per cent lower than in September 2025. London Heathrow ranked second with 4.07 million international seats, followed by Seoul Incheon International Airport with 3.78 million. Amsterdam Schiphol was fourth with 3.69 million seats, while Istanbul Airport completed the top five with 3.59 million. Seoul recorded the strongest year-on-year growth among the leading international hubs, with capacity up 9 per cent. Amsterdam increased by 1 per cent and Istanbul by 2 per cent, while Heathrow was down 2 per cent from a year earlier. DXB also retained its position as the world’s busiest airport for international passenger traffic in 2025, extending its run at the top to a 12th consecutive year. The airport handled a record 95.2 million passengers last year, up 3.1 per cent from 2024, according to Airports Council International World. Traffic was considerably weaker in the first half of 2026, when regional airspace constraints disrupted aviation across the region. DXB handled 31.5 million passengers during the six months, down 31.3 per cent from the same period last year, although monthly traffic strengthened through the second quarter as airline capacity returned. By the end of June, almost 50 international airlines were operating at DXB, connecting Dubai with 217 destinations in 99 countries. Passenger load factors were also moving closer to 2025 levels as international connectivity expanded.