Dubai plans to relocate its busy international airport to a new facility worth $35 billion in 10 years.

Author of the article:The Associated Press John Gambrell

Posted on April 28, 2024 - Last updated 6 days ago - 2 min read

Dubai International Airport will relocate its operations to a second airfield within the next 10 years.

Dubai International Airport, the busiest in the world for international flights, will move its operations to a second, extensive airfield in the southern desert of the city "within the next 10 years," its government announced on Sunday.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's announcement marks the final stage in the recovery of his long-haul airline Emirates after the coronavirus pandemic, which led to the suspension of international flights. Plans to relocate operations from the airport known as DXB to Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central have been documented for many years and were also postponed due to the economic crisis in the emirate in 2009.

Plans and specifications for the new airport

• The airport will include five parallel runways and 400 air locks, the announcement said.
• Currently, the airport has only two runways, just like Dubai International Airport.

Features of the financial situation of Emirates and Dubai

The financial condition of the airline Emirates has served as a barometer for the aviation industry worldwide and its overall economic health. Dubai and the airline quickly recovered after the pandemic, moving forward with tourism, even as some countries slowly emerged from their pandemic stance.

Passenger traffic statistics at DXB airport

• The number of passengers passing through DXB last year soared above its total for 2019 - 86.9 million passengers.
• In 2019, the total number of passengers was 86.3 million.

The development of the city's infrastructure and housing around the airport.

Sheikh Mohammed's announcement highlighted Dubai's plans for further expansion to the south. The neighboring Expo 2020 site is already offering homes for buyers.

Financial challenges and hurdles in airport relocation plans

However, financial pressures have halted this move several times. The financial crisis in Dubai in 2009, triggered by the Great Recession, forced Abu Dhabi to provide $20 billion in aid to the state.