Having already built the world’s largest tower and beach club, Dubai is now setting its ambitious sights on constructing the world’s largest airport. According to circulating reports, Emirati representatives have recently approved a comprehensive plan worth 128 billion dirhams ($35 billion) for the expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport, also known as Dubai World Central, in Jebel Ali. With all financial resources expected to go towards the construction of a new passenger terminal, upon its completion, the aerodrome will be five times bigger than Dubai’s main international airport as well as the biggest, and busiest, in the world by quite a mile.
In a released statement, officials announced that all activities currently underway at Dubai International Airport, presently the world’s second-busiest in terms of passenger traffic, will be relocated to the new facility. What’s more, representatives also lifted the veil on some of the amenities that the forthcoming structure will boast, which include 400 aircraft gates as well as five parallel runways, amongst other cutting-edge features. They also noted that “New aviation technologies will be employed for the first time in the aviation sector,” promising to open a whole new chapter in the evolution of air travel.
“Al Maktoum International Airport will enjoy the world’s largest capacity, reaching up to 260 million passengers,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and prime minister of the UAE, said on Sunday. “We are building a new project for future generations, ensuring continuous and stable development for our children and their children in turn. Dubai will be the world’s airport, its port, its urban hub, and its new global center,” he added.
