Overview
- Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths publicly confirmed in May 2026 that every service at Dubai International Airport will be relocated to Al Maktoum/DWC as part of a consolidation policy.
- The DWC redevelopment is described as a multibillion‑pound megaproject valued at roughly £25.8–£28 billion and aims to expand capacity to about 260 million passengers with five parallel runways and up to 400 gates.
- Coverage disagrees on timing: several outlets report a phased operational transfer around 2032 while others place a full DXB shutdown around 2035 and expect final build‑out only by about 2057.
- Major Dubai carriers including Emirates and flydubai are expected to shift operations and planners are linking DWC to wider transport projects such as a proposed high‑speed Etihad Rail link to Abu Dhabi.
- No public redevelopment plan has been announced for the existing DXB site, leaving unresolved questions about land use, local traffic impacts and employment in surrounding neighbourhoods.