Seoul's Incheon airport has overtaken Dubai to become the world's busiest international airport, recording 38.4mn passengers in the first half of 2026. The decline of Dubai was caused by the war in Iran, which led to a sharp drop in visitor numbers from 7.4mn in February to 2.5mn in March. Incheon now ranks above London's Heathrow and Singapore's Changi.

Dubai's airport nearly closed after the Iran conflict began in late February. Although Emirates resumed flights, passenger numbers have not recovered to prewar levels. European and Asian airlines have shifted to direct routes, bypassing Middle Eastern hubs. Incheon has benefited, with connecting flights from Europe rising by two-thirds.

South Korea also experienced a tourism boom, driven by visitors from China and Japan and the popularity of cultural exports like KPop. The airport has expanded amenities, including a hotel and sauna. Virgin Atlantic began flights from Heathrow to Incheon this year.