Dubai: the world's busiest airport

Photo: Raihans Photography

Dubai's stock is soaring. The emirate has already cornered the architectural market with the world's tallest building. In recent years, its rebounding real estate market - post financial crash - recorded the fastest rising property prices in the world. Now, it is home to the world's busiest international airport.

Figures released at end of 2014 from the Airports Council International revealed that 68.95 million passengers passed through Dubai International Airport in the year to September 2014. The surge in passengers saw the airport fly over the top of Heathrow, which fell into second place with 67.81 million passengers, and Hong Kong, which received 61.87 million passengers.

On a monthly basis, Dubai International Airport falls below Atlanta's airport - the busiest domestic airport in the world - and is still below London heathrow, with the UK capital's flagship hub receiving 6.6 million passengers versus Dubai's 5.9 million. Nonetheless, the UAE is becoming a global hub for long-haul travel.

The Telegraph notes that in the first nine months of 2014, Dubai received more than 52 million passengers, just ahead of Heathrow's 51.7 million.

Paul Griffiths, the chief executive of Dubai Airports, told the newspaper that he was confident Dubai would top 70 million in the year overall.

The figures arrive as development continues on Al Maktoum International Airport, in Dubai World Central, which aims to be the world’s biggest airport with a capacity for 160 million passengers annually. As far as this emirate's concerned, the sky's the limit.