Dubai Airport’s days in the spotlight may be numbered – a massive new airport is set to take over and steal the show…
Dubai Airport is about to flip the script on global air travel. After dominating the skies for decades, Dubai International Airport (DXB) will officially close within the next 10 years. The exciting twist? It’s making room for a next-gen mega hub at Al Maktoum International (DWC). This move, confirmed earlier this year, means all passenger and cargo flights will be shifted south to the new airport by around 2034.
With a massive $35 billion expansion backing it, DWC is set to handle up to 260 million travelers a year—nearly three times DXB’s current traffic. The vision includes five runways, 400 gates, cutting-edge digital check-ins, and lightning-fast connections. The first phase is already underway, with a terminal designed to welcome 150 million passengers annually.
Why Al Maktoum International?
Situated 45km south in Dubai South, DWC offers the space that DXB just doesn’t have. Surrounded by dense city sprawl in Garhoud and Al Qusais, DXB has hit its expansion limits. By shifting operations south, Dubai is paving the way for smoother skies—reduced air traffic over residential areas, faster flight connections, and a major logistics upgrade thanks to DWC’s close ties to Jebel Ali Port.
What’s next for DXB?
While plans aren’t locked in just yet, early buzz suggests the DXB site could be reimagined as a prime piece of new Dubai—packed with residential, commercial, and public spaces. Sitting in the city’s core with infrastructure already in place, it’s shaping up to be an urban goldmine in the making.
When is this all happening?
This won’t be an overnight switch. The transition to DWC will roll out in phases—cargo and low-cost carriers will make the move first, followed by the major airlines. DXB isn’t bowing out just yet; it’s still getting upgrades to stay world-class until the full handover wraps up. For now, it’s business as usual… but the countdown has officially begun.
