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Data source: OurAirports (2026-09-01 Snapshot) · Methodology & Verification →

Dubai International Airport

Dubai, Dubai Emirate (United Arab Emirates)

IATA: DXB ICAO: OMDB

Longest Active Runway

14,590 ft

4,447 meters

Field Elevation

62 ft

19 m MSL

Runway Inventory

2 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

25.2498°, 55.3710°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

Ranking Universes Guide →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

#15 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#29 of 7558

Top 0.4% percentile worldwide

National Standing (United Arab Emirates)

#2 in AE

#2 of 12 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+45.9%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 Statistical Statement: Dubai International Airport's longest active runway measures 14,590 ft (4,447 m). Within RunwayFacts' published index of 650 aerodromes, it ranks #15. Across the broader global dataset of 7558 commercial facilities, it ranks #29 worldwide (Top 0.4%) and #2 nationally in United Arab Emirates.

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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Dubai International Airport (DXB)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

Dubai International Airport processes the world's highest volume of international passenger traffic, operating 24 hours a day without nocturnal noise curfews. Its dual parallel runways are optimized for continuous heavy wake-turbulence separation, supporting massive concurrent waves of widebody aircraft departing to Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. The extraordinary 14,599 ft length of 12R/30L counters thermal lift decay during scorching midday desert flight dispatches.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments

Dual parallel closely spaced runways 12L/30R (13,123 ft / 4,000 m) and 12R/30L (14,599 ft / 4,450 m).

Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities

Established in 1960 with a compacted sand runway, rapidly transitioning to asphalt in 1965. Underwent monumental expansions with Terminal 3 and Concourse A—the world's first purpose-built Airbus A380 facility.

Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role

Acts as the global super-connector hub for Emirates Airline, positioned just 10 NM south of Sharjah International (SHJ) and 24 NM north of Dubai World Central (DWC).

Data Nuances & Operational Quirks

Airspace congestion over the UAE requires tight slot management; summer surface temperatures approaching 48°C demand Runway 12R's full 14,599 ft length for long-haul gross weight takeoffs.

📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) · United Arab Emirates Aeronautical Information Publication (UAE AIP)

Verification Methodology →

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Comparative aviation metrics evaluated against regional and global physical operational criteria.

ICAO Code 4E / 4F Super-Heavy

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Elevation & Atmospheric Density

Lowland / Coastal Basin Aerodrome

Dubai International Airport operates at a surveyed field elevation of 62 ft (19 m MSL) in Dubai. Situated in low-lying coastal terrain, the aerodrome benefits from dense ambient atmospheric pressure, maximizing turbine engine thrust and wing lift efficiency across all departure vectors.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

8 Qualifying Aerodromes in Vicinity

Acts as the global super-connector hub for Emirates Airline, positioned just 10 NM south of Sharjah International (SHJ) and 24 NM north of Dubai World Central (DWC). Within a 100 NM radius, the facility coordinates airspace flows with 8 qualifying commercial aerodromes, with Sharjah International Airport (SHJ) located 9.2 NM away.

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Fleet Compatibility & Ground Roll

Primary Runway: 14,590 ft (4,447 m)

Dubai International Airport's active flight strips comprise 12R/30L (14,590 ft), 12L/30R (14,275 ft). With a longest active threshold of 14,590 ft (4,447 m), the aerodrome satisfies unrestricted long-haul takeoff and landing distance requirements for heavy twin-aisle and four-engine widebodies (ICAO Code 4E/4F).

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
12R/30L	14,590 ft (4447m)	197 ft (60m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
12L/30R	14,275 ft (4351m)	197 ft (60m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🧭 Comparative Aerodromes (100 NM Radius, ≥5,000 ft Paved)

Great-circle Haversine spatial proximity matching for commercial facilities with paved runway capacity within 100 NM.

Aerodrome Name	IATA	Distance	Longest Runway	Lighting
Sharjah International Airport (Sharjah)	`SHJ`	9.2 NM (17 km)	13,320 ft	✅ Lighted
Al Maktoum International Airport (Dubai(Jebel Ali))	`DWC`	24.1 NM (44.6 km)	14,764 ft	✅ Lighted
Ras Al Khaimah International Airport (Ras Al Khaimah)	`RKT`	37.7 NM (69.8 km)	12,336 ft	✅ Lighted
Fujairah International Airport (Fujairah)	`FJR`	52.7 NM (97.6 km)	10,007 ft	✅ Lighted
Al Ain International Airport (Al Ain)	`AAN`	60.7 NM (112.4 km)	13,123 ft	✅ Lighted
Zayed International Airport (Abu Dhabi)	`AUH`	62.5 NM (115.8 km)	13,471 ft	✅ Lighted
Suhar International Airport (Suhar)	`OHS`	85.8 NM (158.9 km)	13,173 ft	✅ Lighted
Qeshm International Airport (Qeshm(Dayrestan))	`GSM`	94.8 NM (175.6 km)	13,864 ft	✅ Lighted

🛡️ Data Provenance & Verification Metadata

Source Dataset: OurAirports Open Aviation Database

Snapshot Version: 2026-09-01

Dataset Integrity: Cryptographic SHA-256 Checksum Verified & Fail-Closed Schema Inspected

Source Verification: Source-reported registry data

Read Complete Methodology & Verification Protocol → GET /api/airport/dxb.json ↗