Dubai maintained its position as the leading airport in APAC and the Middle East, according to the Air Connectivity Ranking 2024, which was released by Airports Council International Asia-Pacific & Middle East (ACI APAC & MID) on Wednesday.
The rankings revealed a remarkable 14% y-o-y increase in both Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions, driven by strong international demand, robust network recovery, and the return of major travel corridors.
The ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East Air Connectivity Ranking is a comprehensive, passenger-centric analytical tool developed in collaboration with PwC in 2023 and refined for its third edition in 2025 and evaluates the overall level of air passenger connectivity offered by airports across the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions.
Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said that airports connectivity is the cornerstone of relevance in global aviation, and they were pleased to see Dubai International (DXB) recognised once again as the region’s leading hub in ACI’s 2024 Air Connectivity Ranking.
“What sets DXB apart is not only the scale of our network, but the consistency and quality of the connections the airport provides. With more than 100 international airlines serving 265 plus destinations across six continents, DXB continues to play a vital role in enabling global trade, tourism and economic opportunity,” he said.
But connectivity at this level only matters if it is delivered with precision. DXB’s strength lies in combining reach with efficiency, ensuring fast, seamless and secure journeys for tens of millions of guests each yea, he added.
According to the findings, the Asia-Pacific region witnessed a remarkable 13% jump in overall connectivity compared to 2023, while the Middle East posted an impressive 28% increase, surpassing all post-COVID recovery forecasts.
On average, connectivity across all airports rose in both Asia-Pacific and the Middle East by +14%, a strong testament to the resilience and dynamism of the aviation sector, the report said.
In Asia-Pacific, intra-regional connections are nearly back to pre-pandemic levels, trailing by just 0.2%. At the same time, intercontinental connectivity is on the rise, showing a solid 4% increase.
Setting New Pace
The Middle East, however, isn’t just recovering – it’s setting a new pace. Both intra-regional and inter-continent connectivity have not only bounced back but have exceeded pre-pandemic levels by a significant margin of 18% and 16%, respectively, the rankings showed.
Airports in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East experienced across-the-board connectivity growth in 2024, driven by China’s reopening and route expansions while 80% of the top 300 airports have fully recovered connectivity levels, with larger hubs leading due to the resurgence of international travel.
Domestic city pairs decreased by an average of -1% compared to 2023, suggesting a post-COVID emphasis on international expansion and international city pairs across all airport categories rose by an average of 17%, highlighting the strong return to cross-border travel.
While intra-APAC passenger travel in 2024 is nearing 2019 levels, travel to Europe, the Middle East, and Africa has surpassed them, driven by Gulf hubs. Passenger traffic from Asia-Pacific to the Americas still trails 2019 levels.
Passenger traffic in the Middle East recovered faster than APAC, showing robust 2024 vs. 2019 traffic, with passenger traffic to Africa and APAC significantly exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Traffic to the Americas remains below 2019.
Stefano Baronci, Director General of ACI Asia-Pacific and Middle East, said that air connectivity was not only relevant for passengers seeking more travel options and convenience; it is equally crucial for supporting global trade and economic resilience, particularly through belly hold cargo capacity.
“While we celebrate this growth, we must remain forward-looking to ensure the momentum is sustained. Investment in airport infrastructure and technological upgrades is a prerequisite for enhancing connectivity, and airports across the region are undertaking significant investments to make this possible,” Baronci said.
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