Dubai loses its title as the busiest airport in the world for international travelers after 12 years.

According to preliminary data from the Airports Council International (ACI), Incheon International Airport in South Korea hosted 38.4 million international passengers in the first six months of 2026, and if the statistics are confirmed in next month's ACI report, it will reach the number one spot in the world for the first time since its opening in 2001.

On the other hand, Dubai International Airport, which has been at the top of this list for 12 consecutive years, is unlikely to even be among the top five airports in the world this year.

One of the main reasons for this decline is the change in flight routes following the start of the US-Iran war on February 28. ACI statistics show that the number of passengers at Dubai Airport dropped from 7.4 million in February to only 2.5 million in March.
 

Related article: If you want to see the real-time status of Dubai to Tehran flights, click on the link

At the same time, Incheon has seen an 18% increase in transit passengers; those who previously traveled to Europe via the region had to choose other routes due to the closure of airspace.

After Incheon, London Heathrow Airport ranks second with 37.79 million passengers in the first half of the year, and Singapore Changi Airport is third with 34.53 million international passengers.

Of course, Incheon's growth is not limited to changes in flight routes. The infrastructure development of this airport, completed in 2024, has increased its passenger capacity, and now 101 airlines operate flights from this airport to 158 international destinations. The global popularity of Korean culture, from dramas and music to food, fashion, and beauty, has also contributed to the growth in traffic at this airport.

This change occurs while Dubai was still setting records until recently. This city was introduced as the busiest airport in the world for international travelers in 2025; Dubai Airport hosted 95.2 million international passengers over 12 months, a figure that represents a 3.1% increase compared to 2024 and a 10.3% increase compared to the pre-COVID period in 2019.
Source:
CN Travel