DXB’s Terminal 3 now operating at...

The opening of the final terminal coincides with the peak holiday travel period

Following the opening of Concourse A at Dubai International (DXB) Terminal 3, the world’s busiest international airport is now fully operational with all terminals, concourses, lounges, restaurants and retail outlets open.

Terminal 3 is expected to serve more than 1.6 million passengers in the second half of December during the month’s peak seasonal travel period

DXB reached the important milestone of 1 million passengers per week in November, with origin-destination passengers reaching 94% of pre-pandemic levels.

Commenting on the milestone Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said: “Reaching the point where 100% of our facilities are now open and serving customers, plus the huge resurgence in passengers arriving into Dubai marks an important milestone for the aviation sector, as well as for the city of Dubai and its economic growth.

“We took early steps to implement best-in-class hygiene and health protocols, fast track PCR testing facilities, and enhanced customer service and guest support resources to ensure the comfort, convenience and safety of travellers – and this has resulted in a strong recovery towards pre-pandemic levels of passengers.”

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Following the closure of DXB in March 2020, there has been a steady increase in passenger traffic over the past 18 months, which has intensified in recent months.

Traffic reached 10.6 million passengers in the first half of 2021, followed by robust growth in Q3 of 2021 and a surge in October 2021, which took the year-to-date passenger numbers to 20.7 million.

With the busy holiday season, running beyond the end of the year, showing further growth, passenger numbers are expected to reach 28.9 million by the end of 2021 – that’s 2.1 million more than the September 2021 forecast.

Griffiths added: “The rate of recovery of DXB has exceeded most other airports of comparable size and highlights the positive international reputation that Dubai has as an attractive city that has taken decisive steps to protect its visitors and residents.

“The number of visitors to Dubai is likely to exceed pre-pandemic levels during the final few weeks of the year, which is an excellent milestone on our journey towards full recovery.”

For more information, visit www.dubaiairports.ae