What Makes Dubai's New Airport the Most Advanced in the World? World’s Busiest Airport? $35B Worth?

Dubai's new airport is being built to become the world's largest: Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), a $35 billion plan for 260 million passengers a year. Here's how the Dubai new airport project works, what is being built, and why Dubai needs it. This video breaks down the scale and scope of the Dubai new airport. Dubai World Central (DWC), officially Al Maktoum International Airport, sits in Jebel Ali, about 37 km southwest of central Dubai. Today it handles roughly 1 million passengers a year. Once the expansion is complete, it is planned to replace Dubai International Airport (DXB) as Dubai's main hub, with the first phase set for 2032. IN THIS VIDEO What DWC is today and where it sits in Dubai Why DXB, the world's busiest airport for international traffic in 2025, is running out of room The 2024 decision to move all DXB operations to Al Maktoum International Airport The numbers behind the plan: 260 million passengers a year, about 12 million tonnes of cargo, five parallel runways and around 400 gates What is being built: the new passenger terminal, an automated people mover, a new baggage handling system and a fourth concourse Construction progress: Dh13 billion in contracts awarded this year, with Dh55 billion more due by the end of 2026 How the plan has grown since Dubai first announced a $32 billion expansion in 2014 What the move means for Emirates, flydubai and the airlines that will operate from DWC WHY DUBAI IS BUILDING A NEW AIRPORT Dubai International Airport is already close to its long-term capacity limit. Dubai Airports has said DXB is expected to reach that limit by 2032, which is why the new airport has to be ready. The plan is not a theory on paper. Dubai Airports' chief executive has said about 9,000 workers are on site today, and that the number is expected to reach up to 120,000 at peak construction. The timing also matters for aviation. New long-range narrow-body aircraft, such as the Airbus A321XLR, let airlines reach more cities with smaller planes. Dubai Airports has said this could multiply the number of cities served directly from DWC, to as many as 600 by the time it opens. That is a big part of why Dubai wants a hub built for the next generation of air travel. WHAT THE DUBAI NEW AIRPORT WILL INCLUDE Beyond passenger capacity, the project is built around global logistics. At full build-out, the airport is planned to handle about 12 million tonnes of cargo a year. The expansion includes a large new passenger terminal, an automated people mover to move travelers between concourses, a new baggage handling system and a fourth concourse. Most of the major contracts are still to be awarded, so the design and timeline can change. KEY NUMBERS AT A GLANCE Location: Jebel Ali, about 37 km southwest of central Dubai Planned capacity: 260 million passengers a year Planned cargo: about 12 million tonnes a year Runways: five parallel runways at full build-out Gates: around 400 Cost: about $35 billion (plan approved in 2024) First phase: 2032 Contracts: Dh13 billion awarded this year, Dh55 billion more due by the end of 2026 QUICK ANSWERS What is Dubai World Central (DWC)? It is Al Maktoum International Airport, Dubai's second airport, located in Jebel Ali. How far is DWC from central Dubai? About 37 km southwest. When will the new airport open? The first phase is planned for 2032, when operations begin moving from DXB. How big will it be? Plans call for a capacity of 260 million passengers a year, which would make it one of the largest airports in the world. Is Al Maktoum International Airport the same as Dubai World Central? The airport is known as DWC, and it sits inside the larger Dubai World Central development. Will DXB close? The Dubai government announced in April 2024 that all DXB operations will move to DWC over time. SOURCES (figures as of October 2026; plans, dates and costs can change) Khaleej Times, August 26, 2026: construction progress and the 2032 timeline. The National, August 26, 2026: contract values, capacity and cargo. WAM (Dubai Government Media Office), September 11, 2026: DWC capacity and phase timing. Gulf News: current DWC passenger numbers and the $35 billion plan. Construction Index: the original 2014 announcement. This channel is not affiliated with Dubai Airports. This video is for information and education only. Will DWC successfully replace DXB in the 2030s? Tell us what you think in the comments. Subscribe for weekly breakdowns of the world's biggest infrastructure projects. #DubaiAirport #AlMaktoumAirport #DWC