Dubai’s Al Maktoum airport expansion on track for 2032 launch

Dubai: 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.

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 next set of awards will cover major packages including substructure works for the Western Passenger Terminal, the fourth aircraft concourse building, the Automated People Mover system, the Baggage Handling System, superstructure works for the Western Passenger Terminal and the first three aircraft concourses.

Other packages include long-span structural frameworks covering around 1.5 million square metres, southern airfield infrastructure, power generation and district cooling plants.

More than 10 million work hours completed

Construction activity has accelerated over the past 15 months, with more than 10 million work hours completed on site.

Ongoing works include the installation of more than 17,000 concrete piles, excavation exceeding 45 million cubic metres and core infrastructure works involving around 4.5 million cubic metres of concrete.

The on-site workforce currently stands at about 9,000 and is expected to rise to around 120,000 when the project reaches peak construction capacity.

The second runway has also been completed in preparation for the rehabilitation of the existing runway, adding another major delivery milestone to the first phase of the programme.

What passengers can expect

Once fully completed, Al Maktoum International Airport will feature five parallel runways operating independently, two passenger terminals and seven concourses connected to more than 430 aircraft stands.

The airport will include an integrated Automated People Mover system and multimodal connectivity linking air, rail and road transport networks.

These features are expected to support a smoother passenger journey while giving Dubai more capacity to handle future growth across airlines, cargo operators and logistics companies.

Wider aviation upgrades

Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects is also continuing work to upgrade existing aviation infrastructure at Dubai International Airport and Dubai World Central.

The wider programme includes the expansion and modernisation of passenger terminal facilities at Dubai World Central to support flydubai’s future operations and fleet growth, including the introduction of Boeing 787 aircraft.

Dubai International is also undergoing improvement works, including upgrades to access routes serving Terminals 1 and 3, enhancements to the Terminal 3 access bridge, airfield upgrades, remote boarding facilities and baggage handling systems.

A total budget of Dh16 billion has been allocated to these aviation infrastructure projects, with contracts worth more than Dh7.5 billion already awarded.