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Dubai International tops OAG October ranking for scheduled international seat capacity
En breve
Dubai International Airport ranked first worldwide for scheduled international airline seat capacity in October 2026, according to aviation data provider OAG, with about 4.57 million international seats scheduled. London Heathrow was second with roughly 4.12 million seats, a gap of about 450,000, and Seoul Incheon third with about 3.94 million. Capacity at Dubai rose 5.3 per cent from September, though one outlet reports it remains below October 2025 levels.
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Dubai International Airport ranked first worldwide for scheduled international airline seat capacity in October, according to data from aviation analytics company OAG cited by Gulf News, Emirates 24|7 and Economy Middle East. Economy Middle East reported the figure as 4,569,653 international seats, while Emirates 24|7 put it at 4.57 million seats on international flights, or about 9.15 million seats in both directions. Gulf News reported 4.6 million departing seats, or 9.2 million in both directions. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Capacity at Dubai rose about 5.3 per cent from September, when the airport recorded 4.34 million departing international seats, according to Gulf News and Emirates 24|7. That widened Dubai’s lead over second-placed London Heathrow, which had about 4.12 million seats, to roughly 450,000 seats, the two outlets reported. Economy Middle East also listed Heathrow at 4,120,736 seats. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Seoul Incheon International Airport placed third with about 3.94 million seats, followed by Amsterdam Schiphol with 3.72 million, Singapore Changi with 3.68 million, Istanbul with 3.56 million, Paris Charles de Gaulle with 3.47 million, Hong Kong International with 3.46 million, Frankfurt with 3.39 million and Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, which entered the top 10, with 2.76 million, according to Gulf News and Emirates 24|7. [ 1 , 2 ]
Economy Middle East noted that the OAG ranking measures scheduled airline capacity rather than passengers actually handled, and that the international table covers international seats only, with a separate ranking combining domestic and international capacity. It reported that Dubai retained first place even though its international seat capacity remained 15 per cent below October 2025 levels, reflecting what it described as the lingering effects of regional aviation disruption; Heathrow was down 2 per cent year on year and Incheon grew 6 per cent, the fastest increase among the 10 largest international airports. Emirates remained the Middle East’s largest airline by scheduled capacity in October, it said. [ 3 ]
Gulf News reported that Dubai International handled 31.5 million passengers in the first half of 2026, with traffic rising through the second quarter from 3.5 million in April to 4.5 million in May and 5 million in June. It said Dubai’s position at the top of the ranking comes as airline capacity continues to expand and travel demand strengthens heading into the winter season. Emirates 24|7 said the airport continues to solidify its position as a major hub for air traffic between East and West, reinforced by Emirates and flydubai using it as a base for their operations. [ 1 , 2 ]
Por qué importa
The ranking is a monthly measure of scheduled airline capacity, and Dubai’s continued first place underlines its role as a long-haul connecting hub between East and West, supported by Emirates and flydubai operations based there. For readers outside the UAE, the OAG table is a gauge of where international airline capacity is being deployed heading into the winter season, and of divergent trends among the largest hubs.
Datos clave
- Dubai International Airport ranked first worldwide for scheduled international seat capacity in October, according to OAG data cited by all three outlets. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Capacity at Dubai rose about 5.3 per cent from September, when the airport recorded 4.34 million departing international seats. [ 1 , 2 ]
- London Heathrow ranked second with about 4.12 million seats, roughly 450,000 behind Dubai. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Seoul Incheon was third with about 3.94 million seats, followed by Amsterdam Schiphol with 3.72 million and Singapore Changi with 3.68 million. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Istanbul ranked sixth (3.56 million), Paris Charles de Gaulle seventh (3.47 million), Hong Kong International eighth (3.46 million), Frankfurt ninth (3.39 million) and Bangkok Suvarnabhumi tenth (2.76 million). [ 1 , 2 ]
- Dubai International handled 31.5 million passengers in the first half of 2026, Gulf News reported, with monthly traffic rising from 3.5 million in April to 4.5 million in May and 5 million in June. [ 1 ]
- Economy Middle East reported that Dubai’s international seat capacity remained 15 per cent below October 2025 levels, Heathrow was down 2 per cent year on year and Incheon grew 6 per cent. [ 3 ]
Confirmado por varias fuentes
- Dubai International Airport ranked first worldwide for scheduled international seat capacity in October in OAG’s ranking, ahead of London Heathrow. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Dubai’s lead over second-placed Heathrow was about 450,000 seats. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Dubai’s international seat capacity increased about 5.3 per cent from September’s 4.34 million seats. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Heathrow was second with about 4.12 million international seats and Seoul Incheon third with about 3.94 million. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Aún sin aclarar
- The exact number of international seats scheduled at Dubai International in October: 4.6 million departing seats and 9.2 million in both directions (Gulf News), 4.57 million and about 9.15 million in both directions (Emirates 24|7), or 4,569,653 international seats (Economy Middle East). The outlets report slightly different figures for the same OAG ranking; the documents do not explain the difference.
- Whether Dubai’s October capacity was below the same month a year earlier, and what regional aviation disruption affected it. Only Economy Middle East reports the 15 per cent year-on-year decline and refers to disruption to Middle Eastern aviation earlier in 2026; the other two documents do not mention it.
- What the OAG ranking measures. Economy Middle East states the ranking measures scheduled airline capacity rather than passengers handled and that the international table excludes domestic seats; the other documents describe the same table without this clarification.
Qué dicen los medios locales
Cronología, hora local
- Gulf News publishes its report that Dubai International ranked first worldwide for October scheduled international seat capacity, citing OAG data. [ 1 ]
- Emirates 24|7 publishes a report giving 4.57 million scheduled international seats for October and a lead of nearly 450,000 seats over London Heathrow. [ 2 ]
- Economy Middle East publishes a follow-up putting Dubai’s October international capacity at 4,569,653 seats and noting it remained 15 per cent below October 2025 levels. [ 3 ]