Dubai is set to build the world’s largest airport in a staggering ￡28 billion project that will create a travel centre five times the size of its current international hub.

       The new Al Maktoum International Airport, located southwest of Dubai, will replace Dubai International Airport (DXB) within the next decade and is expected to become the busiest airport in the world.

       The mega-project will cover 70 square kilometres and feature five parallel runways, 400 aircraft gates, and state-of-the-art technology to handle up to 260 million passengers per year.

       In comparison, DXB handled 86.9 million passengers last year, making it the world’s busiest airport for international travel.

       Dubai’s ruler, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, confirmed the ambitious plans in a statement on X, saying: “We are building a new project for future generations.

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       “Dubai will be the world’s airport, its port, its urban hub, and its new global centre.”

       The first phase of the project is expected to be completed within ten years, with an initial capacity of 150 million passengers annually. The airport will also handle 12 million tonnes of cargo per year.

       Sheikh Mohammed added that the expansion would not just focus on air travel but also create a new city around the airport, providing housing and jobs for up to one million people.

       “It will host the world’s leading companies in the logistics and air transport sectors,” he said.

       The city’s current airport, DXB, is nearing its expansion limits, with residential developments and motorways restricting its growth.

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       Dubai is also experiencing record-breaking tourism numbers, with 17.15 million international visitors in 2023, surpassing pre-pandemic figures.

       As part of its economic vision, Dubai’s D33 strategy aims to invest ￡21 billion into tourism, making a larger airport essential.

       Al Maktoum Airport originally opened in 2010 as a cargo hub but started receiving commercial flights in 2022, serving 877,400 passengers that year.

       The London-based firm Leslie Jones Architecture is now designing the new futuristic terminal, which will include a sleek white canopy, green spaces, and palm trees throughout the complex.

       The site will also feature Luxury shopping outlets, hotels and business centres, and dedicated areas for executive, private, and royal jets.

       The scale of the project means Al Maktoum will overtake all existing airports in terms of size and passenger capacity.

       By comparison:

       Once complete, Dubai’s new airport will be five times the size of DXB, making it the biggest airport in the world.

       With construction now underway, the first flights from the new mega-airport are expected within the next decade.