Dubai Begins Work on 'World's Largest Airport' Project

28.04.2024 - 15:47 / skift.com / Rashid Al-Maktoum / Peden Doma Bhutia / Paul Griffiths / Emirates Airline

Dubai confirmed Sunday it would be shifting its airport operations from the current Dubai International Airport to Al Maktoum International Airport “within the next 10 years.”

Announcing the emirate’s plan to develop Al Maktoum International Airport as the world’s largest airport, with a capacity of 260 million passengers, Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said, “Dubai will be the world’s airport, its port, its urban hub, and its new global centre,”

Sheikh Mohammed has approved the designs for the new terminals at Al Maktoum International Airport, and greenlighted the commencement of construction for the project. The project is expected to cost AED 128 billion ($35 billion).

“Al Maktoum International Airport will enjoy the world’s largest capacity, reaching up to 260 million passengers. It will be five times the size of the current airport, and all operations at Dubai International Airport will be transferred to it in the coming years,” the Dubai ruler said in a statement.

The airport would be able to accommodate 400 aircraft gates and feature five parallel runways, according to an official statement.

.@HHShkMohd reviews the strategic plan of the #Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects and approves designs for the new passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport, which will be the largest in the world when fully operational. Set to be built at a cost of AED128 billion,… pic.twitter.com/9daBU3RN0B

“DXB (Dubai International Airport) will continue to serve as the primary hub, meeting the needs of 100 million plus guests over the next few years as phase two of DWC (Dubai World Central — Al Maktoum International Airport) takes shape. We will be actively collaborating with our airline customers, our strategic partners, the Dubai Government, and our stakeholders to bring this visionary project to fruition,” Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said in a statement on Sunday.

Dubai’s development has closely paralleled the expansion of its aviation infrastructure, Griffiths said.

“There isn’t really the space to be able to add additional runways or terminals at DXB so all eyes are on the potential future of another airport development at DWC,” Griffiths had said to Bloomberg TV in February.

In 2023, Dubai International Airport received 86.9 million passengers. Its annual traffic in 2019 was 86.3 million. DXB expects to receive 88.8 million guests this year, the closest to its 2018 all-time high of 89.1 million passengers.

At the Skift Global Forum East last year, speakers had highlighted the need for infrastructure investment, including a future mega airport. 

“What we’ve got to do is take the bold step of creating this mega airport, but to me the tricky bit is how do we make something