Dubai is beginning to outline future plans for the current DXB airport site, following the completion of the transition to Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) within 10 years, which will become the largest airport in the world with a capacity of 260 million passengers. Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, stated to the "Gulf Times" that "due to the airport's proximity to the city, there will be no commercial justification to maintain the operation of both facilities."
Dubai International Airport, located in Al Garhoud, opened in September 1960. According to the information available on the airport's website, it took 51 years, specifically from September 30, 1960, to December 31, 2011, to welcome the first 500 million passengers, but subsequently recorded another 500 million passengers in just 7 years. In another interview with "The National," Griffiths suggested that Dubai International Airport would close once the transfer to the new airport is completed, allowing for the redevelopment of the Al Garhoud area and opening opportunities for real estate redevelopment around the airport in this region.
Griffiths noted that in the next decade, once operations are moved to Al Maktoum International Airport, many assets at Dubai International will be "very old." He added to the "Gulf Times": "Instead of having a program to replace assets, which would clearly be costly, it makes sense to close Dubai International at that stage." He continued, "What we will do is seize the opportunity to start anew at a larger new location, which is five times the size of Dubai International Airport, and clearly, it will become a significant project."
Regarding the details of plans to create a new airport rather than expand the old one, Griffiths told "The National" that the location of Dubai International Airport in the city center makes expansion difficult. Dubai International Airport (DXB) will continue to operate as a major hub, accommodating the needs of over 100 million passengers until Al Maktoum International Airport is fully operational.
In 2023, Dubai International Airport (DXB) topped the world’s largest airports in terms of international passenger traffic for the tenth consecutive year, with an expected passenger traffic exceeding 88.8 million in 2024.
Griffiths mentioned that the transition from Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) "will begin soon." The cost of the new passenger terminal at DWC, located in southern Dubai, will reach 128 billion dirhams (35 billion dollars), featuring 400 aircraft gates and 5 parallel runways, along with new technologies for the aviation sector.
He added to the "Gulf Times": "We do not believe we will be able to transfer more than 30 million passengers to the new airport before the opening of the second phase, but if we think about it… 30 million at Al Maktoum, and let’s say 120 million at Dubai International, gives us 150 million passengers, which is an increase of 60 million over what we can accommodate today. Therefore, we have room for growth, but we prefer that this growth be in the same place, with a modern facility."
Griffiths said to "The National": "There are huge development opportunities within and around the current airport. It is hard to imagine that we will continue to operate it for a long time. The idea behind Al Maktoum International Airport is to provide sufficient capacity to meet future travel demand, starting with an initial capacity of 150 million passengers, and increasing to 260 million passengers as all phases are completed."
Griffiths addressed concerns about the distance of Al Maktoum International Airport compared to the current airport, explaining, "I believe the idea of Dubai International Airport being close to the city center and the distance of Al Maktoum International Airport will completely fade over time, as city development will continue to surge south towards the location of the new airport." He added, "In fact, the city is coming to the airport, rather than the airport going to the city," referring to the plan to build an entire city around the airport in southern Dubai.
Dubai has previously revealed that Al Maktoum International Airport will feature an "automated people mover system," and a comprehensive land transport center comprising roads and metro networks, alongside civil aviation transport. Griffiths continued, stating that "the primary mission of the airport is to provide a highly efficient and seamless transition between all forms of ground transport and all modes of air travel," affirming efforts to design the best systems and solutions at the new airport as much as possible, including innovative routes starting from the traveler leaving their home or office to reaching the aircraft.
Griffiths stated that Dubai International Airport currently connects 262 destinations across 104 countries, hosting 102 global airlines, according to the latest data. The new airport is expected to create a significant global impact, with Dubai International Airport being the largest airport in the world in terms of passenger traffic. In this context, Paul Griffiths told "The National": "This is big news for the global aviation community, highlighting the growth story of Dubai's aviation sector over the next fifty years. It was inevitable to make this decision as Dubai International Airport was established in 1960 at a location that has now become limited."
Griffiths believed that the bold 10-year plan underscores the relationship between the emirate's economic growth and the rise of the aviation industry when compared to the slower growth of other cities in completing their airport infrastructure projects. He pointed out that many airport expansion projects, including Heathrow in London and Brandenburg in Berlin, have faced several challenges and delays in moving forward. He emphasized that the idea behind the new passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport is to provide sufficient capacity to accommodate the form and size of the aviation industry as it will be in 10 years, saying: "I can confidently assert that within 10 years, travel traffic will exceed the maximum capacity of Dubai International Airport, making the timing perfect."
