Dubai International Airport (DXB), the world’s busiest international airport, is set to permanently close in 2035 as all operations transfer to the nearby Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC)
The world’s busiest international airport is preparing to close permanently after more than 85 years of operation.
Dubai International Airport (DXB) will shut down for good in 2035. All operations currently running through the bustling travel hub will relocate to Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), which is undergoing a massive £28 billion transformation, with plans to become the world’s largest aviation hub.
The transition will see all flights and services operating from DXB transferred to DWC, including those of major Dubai-based carriers Emirates and flydubai.
Once completed, the airport at Dubai World Central is expected to serve an annual passenger capacity of up to 260 million travellers, establishing it as the largest globally.
The move forms part of the country’s strategy to achieve supremacy in global air travel and logistics.
READ MORE: M25 traffic live: Hertfordshire motorway closed after horror motorbike crashREAD MORE: Met Office confirms today is hottest May day on record as UK temperatures hit 34.8C
The expansion at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) includes five parallel runways and up to 400 aircraft gates.
According to details released by Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP), the infrastructure developer for Dubai’s aviation sector, proposals for DWC include “a new era of smart airport systems and passenger-centric facilities, taking travellers to worldwide destinations in the most awe-inspiring and comfortable way possible”.
Dubai Airports CEO, Paul Griffiths said: “There is little sense in operating two major hubs with such close proximity to one another.
“We will move every single service to DWC. By then, every single asset at DXB will be close to the end of its useful operating role, so the economics of keeping DXB open will not be possible unless we invest a huge amount of money.”
The closure of DXB is partly down to the airport being hemmed in between two major motorways and residential areas, making expansion impossible.
The switch to DWC is anticipated to take place around 2032, although reports suggest the entire project won’t be finished until 2057.
DWC will have a link to the forthcoming Etihad Rail High Speed Rail network, which will is aimed at cutting journey times between Dubai and Abu Dhabi to just 30 minutes.
