Dubai said on Monday that Al Maktoum International Airport expansion plans are on track - with Dh55 billion in contracts to be awarded by the end of the year.
The first phase of the scheme - which would transform the airport into the world's largest aviation hub - is scheduled to begin in 2032.
When the upgrade is completed, the airport will have capacity for 260 million passengers a year and transport 12 million tonnes of air cargo annually.
It will replace Dubai International Airport and become the home of Emirates airline.
Al Maktoum, also known as Dubai World Central, will feature five parallel runways, two passenger terminals and seven concourses connected to more than 430 aircraft stands.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, said the master plan would spur economic growth, boost global connectivity and serve as a strategic investment in the emirate's future.
“The Al Maktoum International Airport project will expand the aviation sector’s capacity and enhance the efficiency of the emirate’s transport and logistics ecosystem,” he said.
“This will attract high-value investments, broaden business activity, and create sustainable economic opportunities that will support Dubai’s development for decades to come.”
Plans take shape
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed, chairman of Dubai Airports, Dubai Aviation City Corporation and Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects, said the scheme has now moved into a “large-scale construction phase”.
“Al Maktoum International Airport is one of the most significant strategic projects shaping Dubai’s economic future,” he said.
“The project’s transition into a large-scale construction phase, with contracts valued at Dh13 billion currently under execution and preparations under way to award strategic projects worth more than Dh55 billion during the next phase, reflects the substantial progress achieved and the strong momentum driving the development.”
“Upon completion, Al Maktoum International Airport will serve as a key pillar in advancing the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, and strengthening Dubai’s position as a leading global hub for trade, tourism, logistics, and international connectivity.
Preparing for new aviation era
Khalifa Al Zaffin, executive chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation, said the expanded airport is central to the emirate's efforts to keep pace with anticipated growth in passenger and air cargo traffic in the decades to come.
He said authorities are working to ensure “a smooth and carefully managed transition of operations from Dubai International Airport to the new airport”.
Suzanne Al Anani, chief executive of Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects, said construction work at Al Maktoum is advancing rapidly.
Continuing construction projects include the installation of more than 17,000 concrete piles and excavation works exceeding 45 million cubic metres, alongside the completion of a second runway.
More than 10 million work hours have been racked up in the past 15 months. An on-site workforce of about 9,000 people is expected to increase to 120,000 when the construction project reaches its peak.
More than Dh55 million of contracts will be awarded by the end of 2026, including substructure works for the Western Passenger Terminal, the fourth aircraft concourse building and structural frameworks for buildings covering an area of approximately 1.5 million square metres.
A number of improvement programmes are also under way at Dubai International Airport, including the enhancement of the access bridge to Terminal 3, upgrades to the road network and access routes serving Terminals 1 and 3, and airfield improvement works aimed at increasing operational flexibility.
