Will Dubai International Airport Shut Down As Al Maktoum Airport Launches? (image-instagram/dubaiairports)
The Dubai authorities have announced that the iconic Dubai International Airport will shut down once the first phase of the upcoming Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) is completed by 2032. Flights out of the famous aviation hub will be moved to the new airport, DWC, which is five times the size of the old airport.
DXB CEO Paul Griffiths had revealed that every service to DWC will be shifted at the Arabian Travel Market last week. He said that there is “little sense in operating two major hubs with such close proximity to one another.”
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A record of 92.3 million passengers passed through terminals at DXB, making it the busiest airport for international travel in 2024. The increase in the footfall had added new pressure on the capacity of the existing airport, which is situated in a residential neighbourhood and between two major highways. Last April, UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced that aviation operations would move to the city’s second airfield.
As per the plans, DWC will include five parallel runways, which is similar to DXB. However, the new terminal at Al Maktoum is not set to open until 2032, with expansion work expected to continue into the 2050s. Once the airport is fully complete, it will have the capacity to welcome 260 million annual passengers. For now, the airport remains the emirate’s primary aviation hub, with airlines including British Airways and Emirates both operating popular flight paths to DXB from the UK for the foreseeable future.
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Meanwhile, the closure of DXB has launched speculation about the possibilities of developing real estate and using the airport’s land and structure for large-scale advertising. DXB, which is a prime plot that sprawls across 29 square kilometres, has been eyed by real estate giants for developing residential, commercial, hospitality, and public projects.
