Dubai has reaffirmed that construction on the first phase of Al Maktoum International Airport is progressing on schedule, with major milestones achieved across key development packages and tendering preparations underway for the next wave of contracts.
Construction activity currently underway is valued at AED 13 billion, covering the installation of more than 17,000 concrete piles, excavation works exceeding 45 million cubic metres, and the completion of a second runway. Core infrastructure works account for approximately 4.5 million cubic metres of concrete. Over 10 million work hours have been logged in the past 15 months, with around 9,000 workers currently on site. That figure is expected to reach 120,000 at peak construction capacity.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council, described the project as a strategic investment in the emirate's future and a key enabler of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, citing its role in expanding aviation capacity, attracting high-value investment, and strengthening Dubai's long-term economic competitiveness.
By year-end, contracts worth more than AED 55 billion are expected to be awarded, covering the substructure and superstructure works for the Western Passenger Terminal, four aircraft concourses, an Automated People Mover system, and a Baggage Handling System, among other packages.
Upon full completion, Al Maktoum International Airport is set to become the world's largest aviation hub, with capacity for over 260 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of air cargo annually. The airport will feature five independent parallel runways, two terminals, seven concourses, and integrated multimodal connectivity across air, rail, and road networks.
A separate AED 16 billion programme to modernise existing infrastructure at Dubai International Airport and Dubai World Central is also progressing, with over AED 7.5 billion in contracts already awarded.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
