Dubai International. Dubai Airports Photo.

Another year, another record for Dubai International (DXB)!

Almost nine million more passengers used Dubai’s main airport last year than in 2012, data released by Dubai Airports showed Wednesday.

Passenger traffic topped 66.4 million, up from 57.7 million in 2012. That included a record six million plus passengers in December alone.

Only London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR), with 72.3 million passengers  in 2013, is ahead of Dubai International, a lead many believe Dubai will breach this year.

“Dubai International continues to benefit from the efficiencies offered by the large number of wide-body jets that operate into it with the average number of passengers per aircraft movement rising to 198 in 2013, up 4.5 per cent from the 189 recorded in 2012,” Dubai Airports said.

It said aircraft movements in 2013 reached 369,953, compared to 344,245 in 2012.

The operator also noted that 28 new destinations were added last year, bringing the total passenger destinations served by Dubai International to 239.

Once again, India was Dubai’s single largest destination country with 8.4 million passengers.

The airport is the home base of Dubai’s flagship carrier Emirates and the discount airline flydubai.

Last year it opened a new custom-built concourse for Emirates’ large fleet of Airbus A380 superjumbos.

Another Dubai airport, known as Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central, began operations last fall.