DALLAS — Today, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has approved the design for the new passenger terminals at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC). 

The expected cost of the super project is AE$128 billion, or US$35 billion. The new world's largest airport will feature 400 gates, five parallel runways, and an area five times the size of Dubai International Airport (DXB).

The plan includes building five passenger terminals, allowing the new airport to welcome over 260 million passengers annually. The airport will also handle up to 12 million tons of annual cargo capacity, creating new residential demand for one million people in Dubai South. 

The new airport will allow the UAE to decongest its busy Dubai International hub, providing area and facilities for expanding its home airlines.

All the DXB’s traffic will be transferred to the new DWC within the next ten years. A model of this mega project was presented to the public at the 2023 edition of the Dubai Airshow.

A Busy Airspace

If Emirates (EK) and flydubai (FZ) have a combined fleet of over 350 aircraft today, this number will inevitably increase in the next decade. At the 2023 Dubai Airshow, both airlines placed significant orders for next-generation long-haul aircraft. 

Emirates consolidated its previous order for the Boeing 777X, adding 90 units to its fleet and 15 more Airbus A350-900, for 65 units. The new triple seven is set to replace Emirates’ superjumbo, the A380, albeit offering fewer seats than the type.

On the same day,  announced its first-ever order for a twin-aisle aircraft, committing to 30 Boeing 787-9s, with deliveries starting in 2026. The order came with new announcements concerning the training and MRO facilities, which will be built in Dubai South.

Emirates and flydubai will likely share the expertise and maintenance regarding the Boeing 787. Both airlines will soon fly all three variants of the Dreamliner, and similarly to their codeshare and facilities agreement, an MRO collaboration would align with the ambition of both carriers. 

In the following years, FZ expects to receive almost double its current Boeing 737s, boosting its regional and international network. The airlines share DXB’s crowded terminal, with FZ using Emirates’ facilities for several flights, including check-in and lounges in Terminal 3. 

The featured image shows DWC’s new terminal. Photo: Dubai Airports. You can find out more about the flight experience on board FZ's latest business class in the video below: