Dubai's New Airport, Dubai Announces $35bn Construction Of World's Largest Airport Terminal

Dubai plans to move its busy international airport to Dubai’s New Airport within 10 years

“In the next decade, Dubai’s New Airport will be converted into a new super-airport made for the desert and rivaling the largest in the world by its size.” Positioned 26 miles southwest of Dubai, New World Airport in Dubai, known as Al Maktoum International Airport, will be one of the largest on the planet when fully built and can be used by up to 260 million passengers annually.

This new center will replace what is now the Dubai’s New Airport, which happened to be the most hectic Airport in the world with high international passenger traffic, serving 87 million passengers as of the year 2023. The number of passengers by Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), catering to 105 million passengers, primarily domestic, for the year 2023, is only exceeded by the Hartsfield-Jackson airport in Atlanta in terms of overall traffic.

Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport features a unique design with a passenger terminal connected to parks by floating walkways, palm trees, and a large white roof. The airport began operations in 2010 and hosted 410,000 guests annually by 2016. However, expansion plans have been delayed due to the 2009 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. A new mega-project worth AED 128 billion (£28 billion) is underway, which will create two airports and migrate all operations to the new Al Maktoum airport by 2034.

Dubai’s new Al Maktoum International Airport aims to have 400 gates, five terminals, and five runways. Dubai’s New Airport project is part of a broader initiative to construct a new city on the outskirts of Dubai. The airport will incorporate new aviation technologies as part of its development. The airport’s expansion will cover 70 million square meters, five times larger than the previous international hub.

Sheikh Mohammed announced plans to develop a new town for the airport in Dubai South, requiring housing for roughly 1 million people. Dubai’s New Airport serves 262 destinations, has a rating of 102 international companies, and is conveniently located close to the city center. Al Maktoum International Airport is ideally located to meet the growing demand for global air traffic in the coming years. The city authorities propose creating a golf resort, museums, exhibition centers, hotels, air cargo terminals, and residential neighborhoods near the new Dubai airport. Sheikh Mohammed described the Danube River project as designed for future generations. Dubai aims to become the global hub of airports, seaports, and trading centers, cementing its position as the world’s foremost megacity.