New airport to take over as DXB to max out in 2031

THIS WILL NECESSITATE A FULL TRANSITION TO DWC IN 2032

- BY DHANUSHA GOKULAN

Dubai International Airport (DXB) will reach its absolute maximum capacity of 115 million passengers by 2031, resulting in a complete transition to the under-construction Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) by 2032, the CEO of Dubai Airports has revealed.

Hard cap

Paul Griffiths said DXB is already stretching its limits and will need the full capacity of the new Al Maktoum facility to handle an expected 124 million passengers by 2032.

“By the time we get to 2031, DXB will be at about 114 to 115 million, which is probably the maximum capacity that we’re likely to be able to get from DXB, and then we make the full transition to DWC in 2032,” Griffiths told Gulf News on the sidelines of the Dubai Airshow 2025 press conference.

flydubai: First mover

Griffiths said that flydubai would be among the first airlines to relocate to the existing DWC terminal as DXB runs out of available slots.