Dubai has unveiled a $35-billion plan to create the largest airport in the world out of the emirate’s second-largest airfield, the Al Maktoum International Airport. The massive project will enable the airport to surpass and eventually replace the existing Dubai International Airport, currently the busiest in the world for international traffic—a title it has held for a full decade.
In addition to allowing Dubai to meet expected growth in passenger traffic for the foreseeable future, the new Al Maktoum International Airport will help Dubai fend off growing competition from Saudi Arabia.
The expanded airport—which is also known as Dubai World Central—will cover more than 27 sq miles and feature five parallel runways. The four terminals will accommodate 400 gates enabling the facility to handle up to 260 million passengers and more than 13 million tons of cargo a year.
An estimated 87 million passengers and 1.81 million tons of cargo passed through Dubai International last year. Upon completion of the first phase of Al Maktoum International Airport’s expansion in 2034, officials estimate that the airport will be able to handle as many as 150 million passengers per year.
All operations at the Dubai International Airport will be transferred to the expanded Al Maktoum International Airport as the project progresses. Emirates airlines, currently based at Dubai International is scheduled to relocate to Al Maktoum International Airport by 2034.
According to the enr
