In a strategic move, all airlines currently operating out of Dubai International (DXB) will relocate to Al Maktoum International (DWC). This shift is set to be facilitated by a new passenger terminal at DWC, costing AED 128 billion, which will boost passenger capacity to 260 million annually and fully assume DXB’s operations within the next decade.
Dubai’s airport hub will continue to serve as a central point, catering to over 100 million guests in the coming years as DWC expands, according to a statement from the operator of both airports.
Dubai-based airline Emirates has already declared the new airport as its “future home.”
Once operational, the hub, which will be five times larger than DXB, will cover an area of 70 square kilometers. It will feature five parallel runways and five passenger terminals with over 400 boarding gates.
“Al Maktoum International will have the largest capacity in the world, accommodating up to 260 million passengers,” stated Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
He further noted that the emirate will develop an entire city around the southern Dubai hub, necessitating housing for a million people. The area will also house offices of leading global companies in the logistics and aviation sectors.
