Dubai International Airport (DXB) has retained its spot at the summit of the leading international travel hubs measured by connecting passengers in 2022, shows new data from m1nd-set.

The Swiss travel and travel retail research firm’s full-year 2022 B1S traffic monitor report* released today reveals DXB handled 11 million connecting pax in 2022.

Making up the top three were Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), which both registered 10.5 million connecting passengers.

Leading international transit hubs, which benefit from a broad cross-section of global travellers that often use their time to indulge in duty free shopping, have witnessed a recovery of around 62% of pre-pandemic traffic levels, continues the monitor.

In seventh position, Tocumen International Airport in Panama City remains the only top ten travel hub to have reached pre-pandemic 2019 traffic levels for connecting passengers versus 2019.

While FRA and AMS have clawed back a little over 60% of their respective 2019 levels for transit passengers, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport nudged across the 66% threshold (against 2019) with Madrid Airport netting over 70% of its pre-pandemic levels.

Top 20 nationalities for travel

The full-year B1S traffic monitor also records the top 20 travelling nationalities and top 20 airlines.

Passengers from the United States emerged at the summit of global international departures with 132 million passengers making trips in 2022.

In second spot was the UK, recording 102 million international trips for the year in question, followed by Germany with 87 million international trips.

France, Spain and Italy remain in the top ten but rose in the rankings compared with their respective pre-pandemic traveller numbers in 2019.

Meanwhile Switzerland, Canada and the Netherlands are all new entrants into the top ten.

Unsurprisingly, South Korea, Japan and China all exited the top ten travelling nationalities in 2022.

Spain and Switzerland are the only two countries among the top ten nationalities to have experienced a full recovery in international traffic, attaining and even moderately surpassing pre-pandemic levels.

The average recovery rate among all top ten nationalities compared to 2019 is 75%, with France at 90% of 2019 levels and the Netherlands and Germany at around 80%.

Elsewhere, the top 20 airlines for passenger numbers recovered 81% of traffic during the first ten months in 2022 through October versus the same period of 2019 with low-cost carrier Ryanair leading the pack with just over 100 million international passengers served above pre-pandemic levels at 104%

*BiS traffic monitor report produced in partnership with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and air traffic partner ARC. All infographics courtesy of m1nd-set/B1S.