The project forms a key part of Dubai’s long-term growth plans
Dubai’s biggest-ever airport project is continuing to move ahead, with officials confirming that the first phase of Al Maktoum International Airport remains on track to begin operations in 2032.
The massive development in Dubai South is set to become one of the largest infrastructure projects the city has ever undertaken, eventually replacing Dubai International Airport (DXB) and transforming the surrounding area into a major new urban hub.
Work is already underway across several parts of the site, including runway construction, enabling works and the foundations for future terminals and passenger facilities.
Around Dh13 billion worth of contracts are currently being executed, while a further Dh55 billion in major contracts are expected to be awarded during the next stage of development.
The project forms a key part of Dubai’s long-term growth plans and is designed to support the city’s expanding population, tourism industry and economy for decades to come.
The first phase is scheduled to begin operating in 2032, a timeline that Dubai officials and airport executives have recently reaffirmed.
Once operational, Al Maktoum International Airport will gradually take over services currently handled by DXB, with the long-term goal of moving all operations to the new site.
The scale of the project is difficult to overstate. Once fully completed, Al Maktoum International Airport is expected to accommodate more than 260 million passengers annually and handle up to 12 million tonnes of cargo every year.
The full development carries an estimated value of AED128 billion and is expected to continue expanding for decades, with final completion projected around the late 2050s.
What’s particularly interesting is what the development could mean for the wider city.
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Located in Dubai South, the project is expected to drive growth in a completely new part of Dubai, encouraging residential communities, businesses and infrastructure to develop around it.
The airport will also be connected to future transport projects, including the planned high-speed Etihad Rail network, which is expected to significantly reduce travel times between Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
While no official plans have been announced for the future of the current Dubai International Airport site, officials have previously indicated that maintaining two giant airports so close together would be difficult to justify.
That means once the transition is complete, the DXB site could eventually become one of the most valuable redevelopment opportunities in Dubai.
For now, however, all eyes are on Dubai South, where construction continues on what will eventually become the world’s largest airport.
The opening may still be several years away, but Al Maktoum International Airport is steadily moving from blueprint to reality.
With billions already being invested and construction progressing as planned, Dubai’s next mega-project is taking shape, and 2032 is now firmly in sight.
