February 23, 2026
Methodology About Newsletter
WE THE UAE 2031
The Vanderbilt Terminal for the UAE's National Transformation
INDEPENDENT GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE FOR THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
UAE GDP: AED 2.03T ▲ 5.7% | Non-Oil GDP Share: 84.3% ▼ -5.2pp | FDI Inflows: $45.6B ▲ 48.7% | GDP Growth: 4.0% ▲ -0.3pp vs 2023 | Inflation: 1.7% ▼ +0.0pp vs 2023 | Female Participation: 55.1% ▲ +0.6pp vs 2023 | Population: 11.0M ▲ 4.8% | Emiratisation Rate: 12.5% ▲ 2.1pp | Global Competitiveness: #7 ▲ 3 places | Clean Energy Capacity: 7.2 GW ▲ 18.4% | ADX Index: 9,842 ▲ 4.7% | DFM Index: 4,621 ▲ 6.2% | UAE GDP: AED 2.03T ▲ 5.7% | Non-Oil GDP Share: 84.3% ▼ -5.2pp | FDI Inflows: $45.6B ▲ 48.7% | GDP Growth: 4.0% ▲ -0.3pp vs 2023 | Inflation: 1.7% ▼ +0.0pp vs 2023 | Female Participation: 55.1% ▲ +0.6pp vs 2023 | Population: 11.0M ▲ 4.8% | Emiratisation Rate: 12.5% ▲ 2.1pp | Global Competitiveness: #7 ▲ 3 places | Clean Energy Capacity: 7.2 GW ▲ 18.4% | ADX Index: 9,842 ▲ 4.7% | DFM Index: 4,621 ▲ 6.2% |

Definition

Dubai International Airport (IATA: DXB) is Dubai’s primary commercial airport and the world’s busiest airport by international passenger traffic since 2014. Located in the Al Garhoud and Deira districts approximately five kilometers east of the city center, DXB operates three terminals with a combined capacity exceeding 100 million passengers per year. The airport serves as the main hub for Emirates Airline and flydubai, connecting over 260 destinations worldwide. DXB also handles significant cargo volumes, supported by a dedicated freight terminal and cargo village.

UAE Context

DXB is the single most important piece of infrastructure in Dubai’s economic model. The airport’s role as a global connecting hub between East and West underpins the emirate’s tourism, trade, hospitality, and financial services sectors. DXB’s growth from a modest regional airport in the 1960s to the world’s busiest international airport reflects Dubai’s broader economic transformation. However, the airport’s location within the urban core limits further physical expansion, which has driven the strategic decision to develop Al Maktoum International Airport as the long-term successor. A transition plan will eventually shift primary operations to DWC, though DXB will continue to serve passengers during the multi-decade handover.

Key Data

  • IATA code: DXB
  • Location: Al Garhoud/Deira, central Dubai
  • Annual passengers: Over 87 million (2023), consistently the world’s busiest for international traffic
  • Terminals: Three (Terminal 1, Terminal 2, Terminal 3 for Emirates)
  • Connected destinations: Over 260 worldwide
  • Primary carriers: Emirates Airline, flydubai
  • Cargo capacity: Over 2.7 million tonnes annually

Significance for Vision 2031

DXB remains critical to the UAE’s near-term economic performance while the transition to DWC progresses. The airport’s continued high throughput supports tourism revenue, business connectivity, and the trade facilitation targets embedded in Vision 2031. Managing the eventual transition between DXB and DWC without disrupting Dubai’s connectivity advantage represents one of the most complex operational challenges in the Vision 2031 implementation timeline.