The airport will close to make way for a huge £28 billion redevelopment which is set to become the largest air hub on the planet
The airport will close its doors forever in 2035(Image: Getty)
The world’s busiest international airport is set to close its doors for good after it first opened in September 1960. Dubai International Airport (DXB) will permanently shut down in 2035, with all operations transferring to Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC).
The latter is currently undergoing a massive £28 billion redevelopment, with ambitions to become the largest air hub on the planet. The transition will see all flights and services, including those operated by Dubai-based carriers Emirates and flydubai, relocate from DXB to DWC.
Once construction is complete, the airport at Dubai World Central is expected to accommodate up to 260 million passengers annually, cementing its status as the largest airport in the world.
The move is part of Dubai’s broader ambition to establish dominance in global air travel and logistics. The expansion at Al Maktoum International Airport includes five parallel runways and up to 400 aircraft gates.
According to Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP), the infrastructure developer behind Dubai’s aviation sector, plans for DWC encompass “a new era of smart airport systems and passenger-centric facilities, taking travellers to worldwide destinations in the most awe-inspiring and comfortable way possible”.
Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths backed the decision, stating: “There is little sense in operating two major hubs with such close proximity to one another.
“We will move every single service to DWC. By then, every single asset at DXB will be close to the end of its useful operating role, so the economics of keeping DXB open will not be possible unless we invest a huge amount of money.”
He added: “Within two years, we’ll cross that 100 million mark and then, of course, we’re looking towards 114 million people coming through DXB by 2031.
“And then, in 2032, that big moment where we achieve the world’s largest transition to the world’s largest airport from the world’s largest airport. That will be a major milestone.
“And, of course, all the technology we’re trialling today will be translated on an industrial scale into that fantastic new airport.
“If we can achieve what we’re talking about today, we can make it intimate on a large scale. We want to make every one of those initial 150 million people feel as though they are the most special people at that point in the journey.
“And, of course, building the world’s largest airport at 260 million capacity will happen in about 2057. That’ll be another major milestone because, by then, I’ll be 100 years old and, if there are enough spare parts to keep me going, I want to make sure that I’m around to welcome that 260 millionth customer through the world’s largest airport.”
DXB’s closure is partly down to the airport being hemmed in between two major motorways and residential areas, making expansion impossible.
The relocation to DWC is anticipated to take place around 2032, though reports suggest the entire project won’t be fully completed until 2057.
There are also plans for DWC to connect with the forthcoming Etihad Rail High Speed Rail network, which will cut journey times between Dubai and Abu Dhabi to just 30 minutes.
