Dubai to Push Forward with Dh55 Billion Al Maktoum Airport Expansion Contracts

Dubai is preparing to award an additional Dh55 billion ($14.9 billion) in contracts by the end of this year for the massive expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC). Despite regional conflicts, construction on the city's second aviation hub continues entirely unhindered.

According to Dubai Airports chief executive Paul Griffiths, the operator has already awarded Dh13 billion in contracts this year for the new DWC terminal. An additional Dh55 billion is slated to be awarded by the end of 2026. "We've already, in the last 15 months, committed 10 million work hours of activity to the new project – 17,000 piles are already in the ground, and 45 million cubic metres of earth has been moved at DWC," Griffiths stated.

Currently, about 9,000 workers are on the building site, a figure expected to reach 120,000 when construction hits peak capacity. When asked if the pace of construction had slowed during the ongoing regional conflict, Griffiths answered simply: "no."

While global supply-chain bottlenecks remain a persistent challenge since the Covid pandemic, Dubai Airports is actively mobilising suppliers worldwide to keep the project on schedule. The first phase, targeted for completion in 2032, will provide the new terminal with an annual capacity of 150 million passengers. Ultimately, the facility is designed to accommodate 260 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo annually.

With Dubai International Airport (DXB) nearing its long-term capacity limit, constructing one of the world's biggest airports has become a necessity to handle projected passenger growth. "Al Maktoum International is not some theoretical project – it's actually happening and we are committed to the construction programme because we need it," Griffiths noted.

The expansion of DWC also aligns with the rise of long-range narrow-body aircraft, such as the Airbus A321 XLR. These planes will soon feature prominently in the network, offering the same economic performance as wide-body jets without the commercial risks of higher capacity. This development will potentially enable DWC to directly serve up to 600 cities upon opening.

Meanwhile, investment at DXB continues to enhance operations despite ongoing operational challenges. Investments feature a newly refurbished hammerhead, a T-shaped widened terminal concourse, and a new retail area, backed by strong trading numbers and robust cash remittances to the government.