Al Maktoum International Airport is the airport Dubai is building to become its main hub, and its expansion is the largest infrastructure project in the emirate today. It sits in Dubai South, on the Jebel Ali side of the city, and the plan approved in April 2024 says that operations at Dubai International (DXB) will move there in the coming years. For anyone buying in the south of Dubai, that raises practical questions: how big will it be, when does it open, which areas sit closest, and should it change what you buy? This guide answers them with the figures published by the Government of Dubai Media Office and Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP).
What is the Al Maktoum International Airport expansion?
It is a new passenger terminal and airfield at Al Maktoum International Airport, also known as Dubai World Central (DWC), approved by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on 28 April 2024. The Dubai Media Office put the cost at AED 128 billion and said that, once fully operational, the airport will be the largest in the world.
The airport itself is not new. DAEP says a 4.5 km runway, a cargo facility and a passenger terminal were already completed and the airport was active in 2019. What changes is the scale: the approved plan turns a secondary airport into the city's main gateway, with a city built around it in Dubai South.
How big will the new Dubai airport be?
At full build-out the airport is planned for 260 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo a year, on an area of 70 square kilometres. The Media Office describes it as five times the size of Dubai International. The plan includes 400 aircraft gates, five parallel runways, two processing terminals (west and east), four satellite concourses and an automated people mover linking them.
| Item | Phase one | Full plan | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger capacity per year | 150 million | 260 million | Dubai Media Office, 28 Apr 2024; DAEP |
| Cargo capacity per year | Not stated separately | 12 million tonnes | Dubai Media Office, 28 Apr 2024 |
| Runways | Five parallel runways, each 4.5 km long | DAEP | |
| Aircraft gates | Not stated separately | 400 | Dubai Media Office, 28 Apr 2024 |
| Area | 70 sq km | Dubai Media Office, 28 Apr 2024 | |
For context, the cost is almost four times the AED 34 billion estimated for the Dubai Metro Gold Line, and the passenger figure is what makes the project matter for property: the people who will work at, supply and use an airport of that size need homes, offices, shops and warehouses nearby.
When will the new airport open, and what has been built so far?
Phase one is scheduled to start operating in 2032. The 2024 approval said phase one would be ready within 10 years; in June 2026 officials confirmed that the project had entered a large-scale construction phase and was on track for 2032, as reported by The National on 15 June 2026.
The same report gave the progress figures shared that day: contracts worth AED 13 billion under execution, strategic projects worth more than AED 55 billion being prepared for award, a second runway completed, more than 17,000 concrete piles installed and more than 10 million work hours logged in 15 months. The on-site workforce was about 9,000 and was expected to reach 120,000 at peak. These are press-reported figures from an official update, so treat them as a snapshot of mid-2026, not a fixed schedule.
Will Dubai International Airport close and move to Al Maktoum?
Yes, that is the official plan. The Dubai Media Office said in April 2024 that operations at DXB will be transferred to Al Maktoum International in the coming years, and in June 2026 the executive chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation spoke of a "smooth and carefully managed transition" from Dubai International, as quoted by The National. The same report says the new airport will replace DXB as the home of Emirates.
What has not been published is a date for the last flight at DXB. Some articles give one; we have not found it in an official release, so we do not use it. For a buyer, the honest reading is that the shift is gradual and starts with phase one, and that DXB keeps operating while it happens. According to the same report, DXB is also being upgraded in the meantime, including access roads and airfield works.
Where is Al Maktoum International Airport, and which areas are closest?
The airport is in Dubai South, in the Jebel Ali area in the south-west of the city. Dubai South is the district planned around it; the Media Office describes it as an aerotropolis that has been under development since 2007. Neighbouring districts include Expo City Dubai, Dubai Investments Park and the Jebel Ali communities, with Jumeirah Golf Estates and Palm Jebel Ali further along the same side of the city.
Our Dubai South (Dubai World Central) area guide covers the communities inside the district. Distance and travel time to the terminal depend on the final road and transit links, which are still being built, so we would not rank areas by minutes to the airport yet.
Why does the airport matter for property in Dubai South?
Because the official plan expects it to bring a population with it. The Media Office said that demand for housing for about one million people is expected to follow the airport, and the executive chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation spoke of workforce and residential needs for more than a million people. That is the main reason investors look at Dubai South and the areas around it: housing demand linked to jobs as well as to tourism.
Two points keep that in proportion. First, demand arrives as the airport opens and grows, over years, not on one date. Second, a lot of new supply is being planned for the same demand, so the project you choose still has to stand on its own: developer record, handover date, service charges and the price compared with registered sales nearby. Our guide to the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan: What It Means for Buyers puts the airport in the wider picture of where the city plans to grow.
Which property types could benefit: homes, offices, warehouses or shops?
Each type answers a different kind of demand, so it helps to separate them:
- Homes. Apartments and villas for airport, airline and logistics staff, and for families who want to live near work.
- Warehouses and logistics space. The airport is planned with a multi-modal cargo hub near the Logistics District, and the Dubai Media Office described a bonded logistics corridor linking it to Jebel Ali Port. Our guide Where to Buy a Warehouse in Dubai: Areas and Ownership explains the titles on offer in these zones.
- Offices. Aviation, logistics and trading firms that want to be near the airport, often through the Dubai South free zone. Our Free Zones in Dubai: List and Where You Can Own Property explains how free-zone space differs from mainland ownership.
- Shops. Street retail and community shops serving residents and workers. These depend on the community filling up, so the footfall question comes before the airport question.
Commercial units carry 5% VAT on sales and leases, which residential leases do not; How Does VAT Apply to Commercial Property in Dubai? covers the detail.
Can foreigners buy property near Al Maktoum Airport?
Yes, in the areas designated for ownership by non-UAE nationals. In Dubai South, Resolution No. (7) of 2021 added specific plots in Madinat Al Mataar to those areas, with freehold or usufruct and lease rights of up to 99 years, under the Dubai Aviation City Corporation. Not every plot in the district is on that list, and some zones nearby offer long leases instead, so check the title type on the title deed or Oqood record before you pay.
The usual rules apply: the sale is registered with the Dubai Land Department, the transfer fee is 4% of the price, and off-plan payments go into a project escrow account under Law No. (8) of 2007. Our checklist How Much Does It Cost to Buy Property in Dubai in 2026? Full Fee Checklist lists the rest of the costs.
How will people reach the new airport by metro and road?
The plans include a metro link, but no current metro line reaches the new passenger terminal. DAEP lists a metro station linking the city to the airport as part of phase one, and the 2024 approval describes an integrated landside transport hub for roads, the Metro and city air transport, plus an automated people mover with 14 stations inside the airport.
The two new lines approved so far serve other parts of the city: the Blue Line serves the east and opens in 2029, and the Gold Line runs from Al Ghubaiba to Jumeirah Golf Estates and opens in 2032. Our guides Dubai Metro Blue Line: Route, Stations and Property Impact and Dubai Metro Gold Line: Route, Areas and Property Impact cover them. Until the airport's own metro route is published, treat any "metro at your door" claim near the airport as a plan, not a fact.
Should you buy near the new airport now or wait until it opens?
It depends on what you need the property to do before 2032. If you need rental income now, buy something that already rents well on today's demand and let the airport add to it later. If you are buying off-plan with a long horizon, the airport timeline can work in your favour, provided the handover date and the payment plan suit your cash flow.
What we tell clients is simple: do not pay today for a future that is not yet built. Compare the asking price with registered sales in the same project or the next one, using the method in Dubai Real Estate Index: How to Read DLD Transactions, and judge the price per square foot the right way with How Should You Compare Dubai Property Prices Per Square Foot?. If the deal makes sense on those numbers, the airport is upside.
How do you check a project marketed as "near the new airport"?
Run five checks before you sign:
- Location. Find the plot on the official map and measure the real distance to the airport boundary and to the roads that serve it, not the distance in the brochure.
- Title. Confirm freehold, usufruct or lease, and the term, on the DLD record.
- Project status. For off-plan, check the project's registration, escrow account and completion progress; our guide What Is Off-Plan Property in Dubai? Benefits, Risks and a Safe Buying Process explains how.
- Price. Compare with registered transactions, not with other listings.
- Claims. Ask where any figure about the airport, the metro or future value comes from, and check it against the official release.
Bottom line
The Al Maktoum International Airport expansion is a long-term, officially approved commitment: AED 128 billion, 260 million passengers at full build-out, phase one from 2032 and a gradual move of DXB's operations to Dubai South. That is good news for the districts around it, and it gives buyers a clear direction of growth. Buy a property that makes sense today, at a price that matches registered sales, and let the airport add value as it opens. That is the confident way to buy near the new Dubai airport.
Frequently asked questions
Is Al Maktoum International Airport the same as Dubai World Central?
Yes. Dubai World Central (DWC) is the name used for the airport and the wider district; Al Maktoum International is the airport's official name.
How much will the new Dubai airport cost?
AED 128 billion, according to the Dubai Media Office announcement of 28 April 2024.
When will the new Dubai airport open?
Phase one is scheduled to start operating in 2032, with capacity for 150 million passengers a year. The full plan reaches 260 million.
Will Emirates move to Al Maktoum International?
Yes. The June 2026 update reported that the new airport will replace Dubai International as Emirates' home, as part of the transfer of DXB's operations.
Is there a metro to Al Maktoum Airport?
Not to the new terminal yet. A metro station linking the city to the airport is part of the phase-one plan published by DAEP.
Is Dubai South a good area to invest in?
It is the district the official plan links to the airport's housing demand. Whether a specific unit is a good buy depends on its title, price against registered sales, handover date and service charges. Our framework What Are the Best Areas for Property Investment in Dubai? A Framework by Goal helps you compare it with other areas.
Related guides
- Dubai South (Dubai World Central) area guide
- Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan: What It Means for Buyers
- Dubai Metro Gold Line: Route, Areas and Property Impact
- Where to Buy a Warehouse in Dubai: Areas and Ownership
- What Is Off-Plan Property in Dubai? Benefits, Risks and a Safe Buying Process
- Commercial Property in Dubai: The Complete Guide for Buyers and Tenants
Laguna Life Real Estate L.L.C is a DLD/RERA-registered brokerage. We start from your goal rather than from what is for sale, and we verify figures at the official source. To shortlist property in Dubai South and the areas around the new airport, with titles, registered prices and handover dates checked before you commit, talk to us. WhatsApp +971 56 100 0928 or visit lagunalife.ae. Register your interest now.