Dubai International Airport sees 14% jump in traffic in the first half of 2012

The Mideast’s busiest airport says its traffic has surged nearly 14 percent in the first half of this year.

Dubai International Airport said Monday a record 27.9 million passengers poured through its gates between January and June, up from the 24.6 million passengers who used the airport during the same period a year earlier.

Dubai International is the city’s main airport, and is the world’s fourth busiest in terms of international passenger traffic. It’s home to Emirates, the Mideast’s biggest airline, and budget carrier FlyDubai.

A new concourse due to open early next year is expected to boost the airport’s capacity to 75 million passengers annually.