Gulf inbound travel shows uneven rebound as routes remain suspended
August inbound flight data shows mixed recovery: Abu Dhabi arrivals near last August, but Dubai inbound flights were down 17% and seats down 16% year-on-year, while Doha flights fell 13%.
As diplomats, schoolchildren, and executives trickle back into the region, inbound flight data for August paints a picture of uneven recovery.
As diplomats, schoolchildren, and business executives trickle back into the region, inbound flight data for August paints a picture of uneven recovery.
Abu Dhabi is whole again: Arrivals into Zayed International were within 18 flights of last August, according to data provided to Semafor by Cirium.
Dubai, which relies much more on tourism, is not: Inbound flights to DXB were down 17% and seats down 16% year-on-year, while Doha’s flights fell 13%.
Dubai alone accounts for more than three-quarters of the region’s lost seats.
Dubai Airports put numbers to the damage this week, reporting that DXB handled 31.5 million passengers in the first half, down 31.3% compared to 2025.
The airport had forecast close to 100 million passengers for 2026 before the US-Iran war began.
Emirates President Tim Clark said last month the airline was flying at 90% of capacity, but Lufthansa, British Airways, and Singapore Airlines have all extended route suspensions in the region.