Al Maktoum Airport Construction Continues Uninterrupted with Dh55 Billion in New Contracts
Dubai Airports confirms no delays in Al Maktoum International Airport project despite regional tensions.
Construction at Dubai's Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), set to become the world's largest airport, is progressing steadily with no slowdown despite regional conflicts, according to Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths.
Griffiths revealed in a recent interview that ongoing projects valued at Dh13 billion are currently underway, with an additional Dh55 billion worth of contracts planned to be awarded by the end of 2026. He emphasized the project's resilience, stating, "Our confidence in the future is completely unfazed by the development of the new airport."
Currently, approximately 9,000 workers are active on the site. Key construction milestones include 10 million work hours logged over the past 15 months, 17,000 piles driven into the ground, and 45 million cubic meters of earth moved.
When asked about the impact of recent regional tensions on the construction pace, Griffiths responded firmly that there has been no slowdown. The aviation sector in the Gulf has faced challenges following the US-Israel attack on Iran in late February 2024, which led to retaliatory actions targeting GCC countries and their aviation infrastructure, causing flight disruptions in the region.
In April 2024, Dubai authorities announced that all operations from Dubai International Airport (DXB) will be transferred to Al Maktoum International Airport starting with the first phase in 2032. Once fully operational, DWC is expected to handle up to 260 million passengers annually, surpassing all other airports worldwide.
Griffiths acknowledged ongoing global supply chain difficulties, a situation that has persisted since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic. To address these challenges, Dubai Airports is engaging suppliers internationally to maintain the construction schedule.
Describing the project as "massively ambitious and complex," Griffiths highlighted the intricate design and tight timelines involved. He noted that Dubai's strategy is to prioritize action over discussion, reinforcing that the airport is a tangible project with significant work already completed.
The expansion is driven by the anticipated capacity constraints at Dubai International Airport, expected to be reached by 2032. Griffiths stressed the importance of avoiding infrastructure limitations that could hinder the city's growth, stating, "The last thing the city is going to do is to allow its airport infrastructure to constrain its future growth."