Al Maktoum airport work stays on track as Dubai prepares its next aviation hub
Work on the Al Maktoum International Airport expansion continues according to the approved timeline, with Phase 1 scheduled to begin operations in 2032.
The first phase of the development is moving ahead across key work streams, including enabling works, runway infrastructure and the initial structural foundations for passenger terminals and gates.
Contracts worth Dh13 billion are currently under execution, while strategic contracts exceeding Dh55 billion are set to be awarded in the next phase.
The airport is being developed to become the world’s largest aviation hub, with annual capacity of more than 260 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of air cargo once its final phase is completed.
Dubai’s next aviation shift
The project marks one of Dubai’s most important infrastructure investments as the emirate prepares for the next stage of growth in aviation, trade, tourism and logistics.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, said the airport would support Dubai’s long-term economic strategy.
“A key enabler of the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, 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,” Sheikh Hamdan said.
This will attract high-value investments, broaden business activity, and create sustainable economic opportunities that will support Dubai’s development journey for decades to come
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
The development is expected to play a central role in Dubai’s gradual transition from Dubai International Airport to a larger aviation platform at Dubai World Central, as passenger traffic continues to rise and the existing hub moves closer to capacity limits.
Dh55b in contracts ahead
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Airports, Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation and Chairman of Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects, confirmed that the project had entered a large-scale construction phase.
“Al Maktoum International Airport is one of the most significant strategic projects shaping Dubai’s economic future. It embodies our leadership’s long-term vision of investing in world-class infrastructure capable of accommodating the rapid growth in travel, trade, and logistics,” Sheikh Ahmed said.
The project’s transition into a large-scale construction phase, with contracts valued at Dh13 billion currently under execution and preparations underway 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.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum
Source: Gulf News
