Dubai readies Dh55bn airport awards

Dubai is preparing to award strategic contracts worth more than Dh55 billion for the expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport, marking a decisive step in turning Dubai World Central into the emirate’s main aviation gateway.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, said work on the airport expansion was progressing in line with the approved schedule, with phase one due to begin operations in 2032. The next round of awards will deepen an infrastructure programme already moving through large-scale construction and procurement.

The project, one of the largest aviation developments under way globally, is designed to shift Dubai’s airport capacity far beyond the limits of Dubai International Airport. The full development is planned to handle more than 260 million passengers a year and 12 million tonnes of cargo, supported by five parallel runways, two passenger terminals and a network of concourses and aircraft stands.

Contracts worth Dh13 billion are already under execution, while more than 10 million work hours have been completed over the past 15 months. The fresh award pipeline is expected to cover key packages including substructure works for the Western Passenger Terminal, superstructure works for passenger terminals, concourse construction, the automated people mover, baggage handling systems, southern airfield infrastructure, power generation and district cooling plants.

Construction work has accelerated at the Dubai World Central site, where more than 17,000 concrete piles have been installed and excavation has exceeded 45 million cubic metres. Core infrastructure works involve about 4.5 million cubic metres of concrete, underscoring the scale of the engineering programme. The on-site workforce, now about 9,000, is expected to rise sharply as the project reaches peak construction activity.

A second runway has been completed as part of the first-phase programme, preparing the ground for rehabilitation of the existing runway and future expansion of independent runway operations. The project’s final configuration will connect passenger terminals and concourses through integrated transit systems, while linking the airport more closely with road, rail and logistics infrastructure across Dubai South.

Sheikh Hamdan said the airport would support the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 by expanding aviation capacity and improving the efficiency of the emirate’s transport and logistics ecosystem. He said the project would attract high-value investment, broaden business activity and create sustainable economic opportunities for decades.

The expansion reflects Dubai’s long-term effort to protect its role as a global aviation hub as passenger volumes at Dubai International approach operational limits. DXB handled more than 95 million passengers in 2025, its highest annual total, and retained its position as the world’s busiest airport for international passenger traffic for the twelfth consecutive year. Flight movements reached 454,800, reflecting sustained demand across Emirates, flydubai and other carriers.

Dubai International will continue to operate as the primary hub while the new airport is developed in phases. Authorities are also undertaking improvement works at DXB, including upgrades to access routes, terminal bridges, airfield flexibility, remote boarding and baggage systems, to maintain service levels during the transition period.

The first phase at Al Maktoum International is central to the eventual transfer of major operations from DXB to Dubai World Central. The move is expected to reshape traffic flows across the emirate, strengthen Dubai South as an aviation-linked urban and logistics district, and give Emirates and flydubai room for long-term fleet and network growth.

The development also carries wider economic implications. D33 aims to double the size of Dubai’s economy by 2033, reinforce its position among the top global cities and make it one of the world’s leading logistics hubs. The airport expansion directly supports those goals by adding capacity for tourism, trade, cargo, manufacturing support, business travel and multimodal freight movement.

Dubai’s aviation strategy has traditionally linked airport infrastructure with airline growth, tourism expansion, real estate development and trade services. Al Maktoum International extends that model by combining a large passenger platform with cargo capacity, logistics zones and future transport connections around Dubai South and Jebel Ali.

The latest contract pipeline will test the emirate’s ability to manage one of the world’s most complex airport construction schedules while keeping existing air traffic running smoothly at DXB. It also arrives at a time when global airport operators are investing heavily in automation, passenger-processing technology, resilient baggage systems and lower-friction transfer facilities to handle rising travel demand.