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Dubai International anticipates over five million holiday travelers by New Year's Eve

Dubai International anticipates over five million holiday travelers by New Year's Eve
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Dubai International Airport (DXB) is preparing for a significant influx of travelers this holiday season, with an estimated 5 million passengers expected to pass through its terminals from December 13th to December 31st. Nearly a million of these travelers are anticipated between December 20 and December 22.

Essa Al Shamsi, senior vice president of Terminal Operations at Dubai Airports, acknowledged the challenges of maintaining the airport's renowned service during peak travel periods but expressed confidence in their preparations. "This year, we are excited to welcome millions of guests while also creating moments of joy through festive activations," he stated. Terminal 3 will feature a winter wonderland theme with performances and activities for travelers.

Dubai Airports projects that approximately 5.2 million passengers will use the airport during this period. Of these, around 1.7 million are expected to arrive in Dubai, 1.5 million will depart, and the rest will be transiting through the airport. The daily average passenger count is predicted to be about 274,000, with December 20th being the busiest day at nearly 296,000 travelers.

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"The weekend from December 20 to 22 will also see peak activity, with an estimated 880,000 guests passing through," added Al Shamsi.

Emirates airline has also noted an increase in passenger numbers compared to last year. In December alone, they expect up to 89,000 departures per day on their busiest days: December 12-15 and again on December 27-29.

To ensure smooth travel experiences during this busy time, Dubai Airports advises passengers to check-in early using various options provided by airlines like Emirates and utilize smart gates for quicker passport control processing. They also recommend organizing travel documents ahead of time and using public transport such as Dubai’s metro system to avoid congestion.

During peak periods, non-traveling individuals will not be allowed entry into Dubai International Airport terminals as part of efforts to manage crowding effectively.

Data from Cirium highlights that DXB ranks as the world's second-busiest airport by weekly seats available in December—just behind Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport—with over one million departing seats each week despite having fewer weekly flights than Atlanta.

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