Billions of dollars at risk as Dubai airport shuts down amid Iran missile threats
Cancellation of several hundred flights and closure of one of the world’s busiest airports could leave serious economic repercussions for UAE and for airlines
Considered one of the busiest in the world and one that has both financial and strategic significance, Dubai International Airport in the UAE has been effectively closed down, as Iranian missiles threatened key air routes in Tehran’s retaliation against a joint Israel-US air strike.
The consequences could be immense: not just for the airport but for the economy of one of West Asia’s most affluent nations.
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Amid the growing escalation, both Dubai and Al Maktoum International Airport, located close to the desert city, were closed, forcing airlines to either suspend or reroute several hundred flights. For Dubai, which handles more than 2,50,000 passengers a day, it is a gloomy outcome.
Serious impact
When the airport, which handled nearly 90 million passengers in 2023 and 2024 and more than 23 million in the first quarter of 2025, or around 2,60,000 travellers a day, goes offline, it badly affects the income that is generated from airport charges, duty-free sales and others.
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The scale is immense. DXB handled 87 million passengers in 2023 and 23.4 million in the first quarter of 2025, or roughly 260,000 to 270,000 travellers every day. On January 3, 2026, it processed a record 324,000 passengers in a single day. When that flow stops, airport charges, duty-free sales and concession income fall with it.
Why Dubai airport is key
♦ One of the world's most active airports for international travelers, accommodating almost 100 million individuals annually.
♦ Links over 260 cities across more than 100 countries via a single hub.
♦ Strategically situated between Europe, Asia, and Africa, making it perfect for long-haul layovers.
♦ Serves as the primary hub for Emirates and flydubai, facilitating one-stop connections on routes without direct flights.
♦ A significant cargo and logistics center, transporting high-value items besides passengers.
♦ Gateway to Dubai's own thriving economy
Airlines face brunt
One of the first sufferers of this shutdown is Emirates, which is headquartered in the city.
The airline announced a revenue of AED (Emirati Dirham) 65.6 billion for the first half of the fiscal year 2025-26, translating to approximately AED 360 to 370 million, or around $98 to 100 million, generated daily across its worldwide network.
Airlines such as flydubai and several other foreign carriers that rely on Dubai as a key stopover bridge between countries also felt the shock.
If reports are to be believed, Dubai officials have warned before that an unplanned shutdown of the city airport could make it lose $1 million every minute, once the adverse effects spread to airlines, cargo, tourism and local businesses. A day’s paralysis can snowball the loss to more than $1 billion and disruption in economic activities that could hurt more.
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In the past, the airport witnessed a brief closure due to suspected drone activity. However, given the scale of the military escalation this time, it could be far more damaging.
It is roughly estimated that the airport, which is also known for its shopping attractions, typically secures between $40 and $70 per passenger – aeronautical and on-site spending combined.
When applied to the typical daily traffic at the airport, it becomes evident that between $10 and $18 million in revenue from the airport and terminal disappears in just one quiet day. Furthermore, consider the approximately $100 million in daily revenue from Emirates that is vulnerable to disruption, besides the earnings from hotels, shopping malls, and restaurants catering to transit passengers.
Beyond the airport
The repercussions are not confined to the airport alone. Given that Dubai is a major economic hub, its real-estate market registered approximately AED 680 billion in sales in 2025, translating to nearly AED 1.8 to 1.9 billion in transactions each day.
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The Jebel Ali Free Zone and its port achieved a historic $190 billion in trade two years ago, equating to over $500 million worth of goods every day. While these statistics do not reflect losses from the ongoing shutdown, they illustrate the extent of economic activity that ultimately relies on Dubai remaining open and interconnected.
Markets have started to respond. Dubai's primary equity index has decreased by about one to two per cent on the most challenging days since the strikes, erasing approximately $4 to $5 billion in paper value as investors re-evaluate earnings for airlines, developers, and banks.