Al Maktoum International Airport 2026: Dubai’s $35B Plan for the World’s Largest Airport

Dubai is in the middle of building what is intended to become the world’s largest airport by capacity — a Dh128 billion ($34.8 billion) expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central (DWC), according to Gulf News. When complete, the facility will feature five parallel runways, roughly 400 gates, and the capacity to handle up to 260 million passengers a year — nearly three times the current capacity of Dubai International Airport (DXB), already the world’s second-busiest airport for international traffic, per analysis from K Estates.

Where the project actually stands in 2026

Construction crews have already excavated more than 45 million cubic metres of earth and completed the airport’s second runway, according to MyBayut’s DWC guide. The first phase — a central passenger terminal and four concourses designed to handle 150 million passengers annually — is targeted for completion around 2032, per Khaleej Times. Dubai is set to allocate AED 55 billion worth of expansion contracts by the end of 2026 alone, underscoring the pace at which the project is being financed and built.

The scale of ambition extends beyond aviation infrastructure. DWC is being planned as a self-contained “airport city,” incorporating business, cultural, and residential districts across Dubai South, roughly 35 kilometres from Dubai Marina, according to the same Khaleej Times reporting. All operations currently based at DXB — including Emirates’ long-haul network — are expected to eventually transfer to the new hub.

Part of a much bigger regional aviation build-out

Al Maktoum’s expansion is the largest single project within a broader regional wave of investment: airports across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia are expected to spend a combined $183 billion on capacity, connectivity, and passenger-experience upgrades, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia leading the push, according to Gulf News. Within the UAE alone, expansion plans extend beyond Dubai to Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah, with a shared emphasis on AI-enabled operations, IoT systems, and energy-efficient terminal design.

What it means for the region’s real estate and travel markets

The airport build-out is already reshaping property markets nearby. Transactions in Dubai South exceeded AED 15 billion ($4.1 billion) in just the first five months of 2025 — nearly matching the entire AED 16.1 billion recorded across all of 2024 — with analysts forecasting further price appreciation as the airport nears completion, according to K Estates. For travellers and airlines, the eventual payoff is a dramatic increase in regional connectivity capacity at a time when global air travel demand — and airfares — have both been climbing steadily through 2026.

Key takeaways

• Al Maktoum International Airport’s expansion carries a price tag of roughly $34.8 billion (Dh128 billion) and is intended to make it the world’s largest airport by 2050.
• Full build-out capacity: five runways, ~400 gates, up to 260 million passengers annually and 12 million tonnes of cargo.
• Phase one, targeted for around 2032, alone will handle 150 million passengers a year.
• The project has already reshaped Dubai South real estate, with transactions surpassing AED 15 billion in the first five months of 2025.
• It is the anchor project within a broader $183 billion regional airport investment wave across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.

FAQ

When will Al Maktoum International Airport be the world’s largest? Full completion is projected around 2050, though the first major phase is targeted for roughly 2032.

How many passengers will Al Maktoum Airport handle? Up to 260 million passengers annually at full capacity, with the first completed phase alone handling 150 million.

Will Emirates move its operations to the new airport? Yes — all Dubai International Airport operations, including Emirates’ long-haul network, are expected to eventually transfer to Al Maktoum International.