From pools to clinics: 7 things to know about Emirates’ new Cabin Crew Village in Dubai

Dubai: Emirates Airline is building what it describes as a fully integrated living environment for its cabin crew, with a new purpose-built village planned at Dubai Investments Park. The multi-billion-dirham development is designed to house up to 12,000 crew members and goes far beyond traditional staff accommodation.

Here are seven key things to know about the Emirates Cabin Crew Village and what life there is expected to look like.

The project has been planned as a complete community rather than a housing cluster. Retail outlets, restaurants, and everyday services will be located within the development, reducing the need for residents to travel outside the village for daily essentials.

“Our cabin crew are central to the experience Emirates delivers to customers,” said Ali Mubarak Al Soori, Emirates’ Chief Procurement and Facilities Officer. “The Cabin Crew Village will provide everything our crew need within a single, thoughtfully planned development.”

The village will comprise 20 contemporary residential buildings, each rising 19 floors. Apartments will be offered in one-, two-, and three-bedroom layouts, reflecting Emirates’ intention to accommodate different lifestyles and employment stages, rather than just short-term housing.

Amenities focus heavily on wellbeing. Plans include modern fitness facilities, clinics and landscaped public spaces designed to support the physical and mental demands of cabin crew schedules. Walking trails and outdoor areas are woven throughout the site to encourage daily movement and downtime.

Residents will have access to resort-style swimming pools, green spaces, and landscaped grounds throughout the development. These features are intended to offer a break from irregular work hours and long-haul flying, while creating a relaxed, community-focused environment.

Each residential building will include dedicated amenities, ensuring convenience and accessibility regardless of where crew members live in the village. The design aims to avoid overcrowding in shared spaces and reduce daily friction for residents with varying shift patterns.

The site sits roughly equidistant between Dubai International Airport and Dubai World Central. That positioning supports Emirates’ current operations while aligning with its long-term transition plans to Al Maktoum International Airport.

Al Soori said the village also represents “a strategic investment in Emirates’ future, supporting our transition plans to Al Maktoum International and continued growth in the years ahead.”

Groundbreaking is planned for the second quarter of 2026, with the first phase expected to be completed in 2029 under a long-term lease arrangement. Omar Al Mesmar, General Manager of Dubai Investments Park, said the project reflects confidence in the area’s infrastructure and regulatory framework, adding long-term value to the wider DIP community.

Once completed, the Cabin Crew Village is expected to become one of the largest purpose-built airline staff communities in the region.