Al Maktoum airport expansion on track for 2032 opening

• Sheikh Hamdan confirms timeline
• AED55bn of contracts to be awarded
• Will handle 260m passengers

The first phase of the revamped Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai will open in 2032, according to Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Work on the $35 billion airport expansion continues according to the approved timeline, he said in a social media post.

Contracts worth AED13 billion ($3.5 billion) are currently being executed, with more than 10 million work hours completed during the past 15 months.

Sheikh Hamdan said that strategic project contracts exceeding AED55 billion, related to the airport expansion, will be awarded in the coming months.

No information was given on the projects slated for award.

The airport is being developed to handle more than 260 million passengers annually, supporting the emirate’s long-term economic growth, he said.

Dubai’s major projects continue to advance with steady progress and confidence, the crown prince added.

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Al Maktoum International Airport will be five times larger than Dubai International Airport (DXB), spanning 70 square kilometres and equipped to handle 12 million tonnes of cargo annually.

The airport will have five parallel runways, two passenger terminals, seven concourses and 430 aircraft stands, according to the post.

In November 2025, Emirates chairman and CEO Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said the airline would invest $10 billion to $12 billion in Al Maktoum International.

The state-owned carrier will finance its share of the investment through a combination of cash reserves and new debt, Sheikh Ahmed said.

In April, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, said the emirate will not stop work on its projects but will accelerate the pace of development.

“Our projects are moving ahead and work will not stop. On the contrary, the pace will accelerate. We remain committed to a clear development agenda,” he said.

The US-Iran war, which began on February 28, was costing the Middle East at least $600 million a day in lost visitor spending, the World Travel and Tourism Council estimates.

On Monday, US President Donald Trump announced a peace agreement with Iran, raising hopes for a full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a return to normal shipping through the strategic waterway.