Dubai International Airport last year held on to its crown as the world's busiest international airport. Photo: Dubai Airports
Dubai International Airport last year held on to its crown as the world's busiest international airport. Photo: Dubai Airports
Dubai International Airport last year held on to its crown as the world's busiest international airport. Photo: Dubai Airports
Dubai International Airport last year held on to its crown as the world's busiest international airport. Photo: Dubai Airports

Dubai named world's busiest international airport in 2022 for ninth consecutive year


Deena Kamel
  • English
  • Arabic

Dubai International Airport (DXB) retained the title of the world's busiest international hub for passengers in 2022 for the ninth year in a row, as long-haul travel demand surged, rankings by the Airports Council International (ACI) show.

London, Amsterdam, Paris and Istanbul followed Dubai as the top-five busiest hubs by international air traffic, the trade association for airports — representing nearly 2,000 airports worldwide — said on Wednesday.

DXB, which does not have a domestic market, more than doubled passenger traffic on the year to 66.1 million last year.

“While we continue to march forward cautiously amidst multiple headwinds that could impact the speed and magnitude of global air traffic recovery, the latest rankings represent an important milestone in reaching pre-pandemic levels,” ACI World's director general Luis Felipe de Oliveira said.

“The reopening of China, the second-largest aviation market after the US, is now expected to bring an overall gain, both domestically and for international travel.”

State-owned operator Dubai Airports projects the number of passengers that will pass through the international hub by the end of this year will reach 78 million, as the UAE prepares to host major international events such as the Dubai Airshow and the Cop28 climate summit.

A full recovery to pre-pandemic levels on a monthly basis could come by the end of this year, or the beginning of 2024, if monthly passenger figures reach 7.5 million, Paul Griffiths, chief executive of Dubai Airports, told The National in February.

Global airlines and airports, emerging from the two-year Covid-19 pandemic that shattered air travel demand, are now facing steep jet fuel bills and mounting pressure to reduce their carbon footprint as they ramp up operations to meet surging travel demand.

Preliminary figures by ACI indicate that with the return of international travel, 2022 global passenger traffic reached close to 7 billion, an increase of 53.5 per cent from 2021, and recovered to 73.8 per cent of 2019 levels.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport once again topped the rankings by overall passenger traffic last year, returning to the list with a 23.8 per cent year-on-year increase to 93.7 million travellers, ACI data showed.

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Denver International Airport, Chicago's O'Hare International Airport followed Atlanta International Airport and held their positions from 2021.

Of the top 10 airports globally, five are in the US, ACI data showed. The strong performance by US airports was due to a healthy recovery in domestic travel. All five airports in the country have significant domestic passenger traffic shares of between 75 per cent and 95 per cent, ACI said.

Dubai ranked fifth in the list of the world's top 10 busiest airports.

London Heathrow ranked eighth and recorded the biggest jump in the top-10 list. The airport improved its ranking from 54th position as borders reopened in March 2022 after two years of pandemic-induced closures.

Delhi International Airport featured in the top-10 list for the first time, jumping from 13th position in 2021 and 17th in 2019, boosted by India's fast-growing travel market and aviation ambitions.

The rankings were based on the preliminary compilation of 2022 global data from airports around the world and take into account both their domestic and international markets.

  • Passengers are dropped off at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in Georgia, US. It is the world's busiest airport by total airline capacity. Bloomberg
    Passengers are dropped off at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in Georgia, US. It is the world's busiest airport by total airline capacity. Bloomberg
  • People wait for arriving passengers at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, India, which has overtaken Dubai as the world second-busiest airport. Reuters
    People wait for arriving passengers at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, India, which has overtaken Dubai as the world second-busiest airport. Reuters
  • Dubai International Airport recorded a 12.7 per cent increase in passenger traffic year-on-year to 29.1 million in 2021. Photo: Dubai Airports
    Dubai International Airport recorded a 12.7 per cent increase in passenger traffic year-on-year to 29.1 million in 2021. Photo: Dubai Airports
  • People queue at Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport. The London hub came in fourth place. Reuters
    People queue at Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport. The London hub came in fourth place. Reuters
  • Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in Texas. Bloomberg
    Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in Texas. Bloomberg
  • O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois. Reuters
    O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois. Reuters
  • Passengers check in at American Airlines' counters at Los Angeles International Airport. AFP
    Passengers check in at American Airlines' counters at Los Angeles International Airport. AFP
  • Denver International Airport, Colorado. AFP
    Denver International Airport, Colorado. AFP
  • Haneda Airport in Tokyo. Bloomberg
    Haneda Airport in Tokyo. Bloomberg
  • Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in China. Bloomberg
    Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in China. Bloomberg
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

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Updated: April 05, 2023, 2:31 PM