Dubai Unveils Plans for "World's Largest" Airport Terminal
Dubai has embarked on an ambitious project to construct a new terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport, aiming to create the "world's largest" airport terminal. The project, estimated to cost around $35 billion, was announced by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates.
The new terminal, once operational, will boast an impressive capacity to handle 260 million passengers annually. This dwarfs the current Dubai International Airport, which can accommodate up to 120 million passengers but faces limitations due to its location within the city.
The new airport will feature five parallel runways, 400 aircraft gates, and a design that Sheikh Mohammed described as "five times larger than the current Dubai International Airport." The initial phase of the project, expected to be completed within a decade, will cater to 150 million passengers annually.
This ambitious project aims to position Dubai as a global aviation hub, serving as the new home for flagship carrier Emirates, its low-cost counterpart Flydubai, and other airline partners. The new airport will facilitate seamless global connections to and from Dubai, further solidifying its position as a major player in the aviation industry.
While Al Maktoum Airport has not seen significant traffic since its opening in 2010, authorities envision it taking over from Dubai International Airport, which has reached its capacity limits. This expansion will allow Dubai to cater to the ever-growing demand for air travel and solidify its position as a leading aviation hub.