Dubai transfers all international airport operations to Al Maktoum facility

• Dubai International (DXB) will transfer operations to Al Maktoum International (AMI) over the next few years.
• This marks phase two of the airport’s expansion, with DXB continuing to serve as the primary hub.
• Emirates Airlines refers to the airport as its “future home.”

The operator of both airports announced on Sunday that all operations at Dubai International (DXB) will be transferred to Al Maktoum International (AMI) over the next few years. A new Dh128-billion passenger terminal at the AMI will scale up passenger capacity to 260 million annually and “fully absorb” DXB’s operations in 10 years.

This announcement marks phase two of the airport’s expansion. DXB will continue to serve as the primary hub “meeting the needs of 100 million plus guests over the next few years as phase two of DWC takes shape,” the operator stated.

Dubai-based Emirates Airline referred to the airport as its “future home” as it shared photos of the AMI.

Once fully operational, the airport will span 70 square km, five times the size of DXB. It will feature five parallel runways and five passenger terminals, accommodating more than 400 aircraft gates.

In November last year, a top official had disclosed plans to replace DXB — the world’s busiest airport — with a larger one. Initial forecasts suggest that DXB’s traffic will exceed 88.8 million passengers in 2024.

“Al Maktoum International Airport will enjoy the world’s largest capacity, reaching up to 260 million passengers,” said Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai. “New aviation technologies will be employed for the first time in the aviation sector.”

The Dubai Ruler stated that with the emirate building an “entire city” around the airport in Dubai South, demand for housing for a million people will ensue. “It will host the world’s leading companies in the logistics and air transport sectors … Dubai will be the world’s airport, its port, its urban hub, and its new global center,” he added.

The first phase of the project is expected to be ready within 10 years with a capacity to accommodate 150 million passengers annually.

“Al Maktoum International will comprise five parallel runways with a quadruple independent operation, west and east processing terminals, four satellite concourses with over 400 aircraft contact stands, uninterrupted automated people mover system for passengers, and an integrated landside transport hub for roads, Metro, and city air transport,” said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed, Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, and Chairman and CEO of Emirates Airline and Group.

It will “prepare the ground” for the next 40 years of anticipated growth in Dubai’s aviation sector.

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