Dubai International Airport to Close in 2035 for Al Maktoum

Dubai will permanently close Dubai International Airport (DXB) in 2035, transferring all civil aviation operations to a newly expanded $35 billion mega-hub at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC).

The transition, approved by the Government of Dubai, addresses the structural capacity limits of the landlocked DXB facility following a record-breaking 95.2 million passengers in 2025. The phased relocation will begin in 2032 and culminate in the complete shutdown of the world’s busiest international hub.

Capacity constraints drive the transition

Dubai International Airport handled a record 95.2 million passengers in 2025. In a February 11, 2026, statement, Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths noted that record traffic is no longer an exception but part of the operating reality for the facility.

The airport is surrounded by residential and commercial developments, preventing further runway or terminal expansion. According to reporting by the Border Telegraph, DXB has a structural ceiling of approximately 114 million annual passengers. The operator expects to reach this limit by 2031 or 2032.

Griffiths explained the economic rationale for the closure, highlighting the inefficiency of operating two major hubs within 70 kilometers of each other. He also pointed to aging infrastructure as a deciding factor.

“The other point to remember is that by then, if we’ve done our sums of calculations right, every single asset at DXB will be close to the end of its useful operating life,” Griffiths stated. “So the economics of keeping DXB open will not really be possible to do.”

Designing the Al Maktoum mega-hub

On April 28, 2024, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Ruler of Dubai, approved the designs and the AED 128 billion ($35 billion) budget for the new passenger terminal at Dubai World Central.

The expanded Al Maktoum International Airport is designed to handle up to 260 million passengers annually once fully completed in 2057. The facility will feature five parallel runways and 400 aircraft gates, making it five times the size of the current DXB footprint.

“Al Maktoum International Airport will enjoy the world’s largest capacity, reaching up to 260 million passengers,” Sheikh Mohammed stated in the official project announcement. “All operations at Dubai International Airport will be transferred to it in the coming years.”

Phased relocation timeline

The migration of airlines, including home carriers Emirates and flydubai, will occur in stages. According to FTN News, the initial transition of flight operations is scheduled to begin in 2032.

Griffiths indicated that the complete transfer of services will happen once sufficient capacity is established at the new facility.

“The current thinking is that when DXB gets to a point where we’ve got enough capacity created at DWC to make the complete transition, that we will move every single service from DXB to DWC,” Griffiths said.

The final closure of DXB in 2035 will mark the end of an era for the legacy airport, shifting the center of gravity for Middle Eastern aviation to the Dubai South district.

AirPro News analysis

We view the hard closure of DXB as a necessary resolution to Dubai’s aviation bottleneck. Operating split hubs often fractures connecting traffic and inflates airline operating costs. By committing to a complete migration, Dubai avoids the dual-hub inefficiencies that have challenged other major global cities. The 2035 deadline provides a clear timeline for Emirates and flydubai to align their fleet deliveries and network planning with the new infrastructure at DWC.

Sources: Government of Dubai Media Office, Dubai Airports