Dubai mulls resumption of development of Al Maktoum International Airport

Dubai is reportedly considering resuming one of its biggest construction projects, the expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport, according to MEED magazine, which confirmed that the return of work on the project will be a major boost to the emirate's economy.

According to these sources, talks between officials are underway, and parties who have a key role in completing the scheme have been told to be ready to resume the project.

The magazine added that the figures of passenger traffic during the recent period have strengthened expectations for the expansion of the project, as Dubai International Airport handled 66.1 million passengers in 2022, while the increasing monthly figures mean that Dubai expects 78 million to use the airport this year before returning to pre-pandemic levels in 2024.

The AED120 billion ($33 billion) project, also known as Dubai World Central, was launched in June 2010 for cargo operations and in October 2013 for passengers, according to the magazine.

The airport aims to become the largest airport in the world by 2050, capable of handling up to 255 million passengers annually, and the first phase of the project will increase the airport's capacity to 130 million passengers per year, and the total development will cover an area of 56 square kilometers, and this phase is expected to be completed by 2030.