Time Out Dubai: Every single service at the world’s busiest international airport will eventually move to Al Maktoum, according to the Dubai Airports CEO.

Dubai Airports bosses plan to move operations from Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Al Maktoum International Airport, also known as DWC, by 2032.

During a keynote address at the Dubai Airshow last year, it was revealed that the transition between the two airports will be the largest of its kind.

Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths explained that once DXB reaches maximum capacity, operations will transition to Al Maktoum International Airport.

He said: “Within two years, we’ll cross that 100 million mark and then, of course, we’re looking towards 114 million people coming through DXB by 2031.

“And then, in 2032, that big moment where we achieve the world’s largest transition to the world’s largest airport from the world’s largest airport. That will be a major milestone.

“And, of course, all the technology we’re trialling today will be translated on an industrial scale into that fantastic new airport.

“If we can achieve what we’re talking about today, we can make it intimate on a large scale. We want to make every one of those initial 150 million people feel as though they are the most special people at that point in the journey.

“And, of course, building the world’s largest airport at 260 million capacity will happen in about 2057. That’ll be another major milestone because, by then, I’ll be 100 years old and, if there are enough spare parts to keep me going, I want to make sure that I’m around to welcome that 260 millionth customer through the world’s largest airport.”

The Dhs128 billion megaproject will see Al Maktoum International Airport eventually become the world’s largest capacity airport, capable of accommodating 260 million passengers annually.

While operations are expected to move to DWC by 2032, the full project is unlikely to be completed until around 2057. It has also been confirmed that DWC will have a link to the upcoming Etihad Rail High Speed Rail, which will make journeys between Dubai and Abu Dhabi only 30 minutes long.

Dubai Airports is encouraging airlines to make a phased migration from DXB to DWC, with airlines taking up slots at DWC when DXB isn’t available.

What happens to DXB once operations move to Al Maktoum?

Speaking at the Arabian Travel Market in 2025, CEO Paul Griffiths was asked about plans for DXB once all operations move to Al Maktoum International Airport, also known as DWC.

Although the move is still some time in the future, Griffiths stated that there would be “little sense” in having two airports the size of Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport operating at the same time when they’re both so close to each other.

In addition, he also discussed that the assets at Dubai International Airport would require renovation by the time the move to Al Maktoum is made, so keeping DXB open would be tricky unless they invested huge sums of money.

Griffiths said: “The current thinking is that when DXB gets to a point where we’ve got enough capacity created at DWC (Al Maktoum International Airport) to make the complete transition, that we will move every single service from DXB to DWC, there’s little sense in operating two major airport hubs in such close proximity, within 70 kilometers of each other.

“The other point to remember is that by then, if we’ve done our sums of calculations right, every single asset at DXB will be close to the end of its useful operating life.

“So the economics of keeping DXB open will not really be possible to do unless we invest a huge amount of money.”

Although it was mentioned that multiple Dubai developers “would love to get their hands on that site”, an official redevelopment plan for the DXB site has not been confirmed.

However, Griffiths added that moving the airport to the Dubai South area could have a great impact on traffic around the city.

He added, “If you think about it, that’s where the growth of Dubai will be, because we’re right up against the Sharjah border in the north.

“So it will spread the city out and actually make it perhaps a little easier than the traffic problems that we’ve got today. So that’s the future.”