All eyes might have been on DXB the past few weeks as it struggled to deal with epic rains that hit the UAE. To be fair, we don’t think any airport globally could have dealt with such extreme weather conditions, but now all eyes are turning to its sister airport, situated a little closer to Abu Dhabi, bridging the gap between the two major cities of the UAE.
With an investment of US$35billion, the new phase two of Dubai’s Al Maktoum airport is nothing short of extraordinary. Reflecting designs of late that showcase airports as large, airy voluminous spaces, the recent renders mix design aesthetics from the new Red Sea airport in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi’s new terminal and Istanbul’s mega-airport.
And in Dubai, size is everything. The new world’s largest airport will feature 400 gates, five parallel runways, and an area five times the size of Dubai’s existing leading International Airport. As for who rules the roost in Dubai, Emirates has already hinted at the new airport being its home in a decade. In the meantime, Dubai Airports has stated that “DXB will continue to serve as the primary hub, meeting the needs of 100 million plus guests over the next few years as phase two of DWC takes shape.”
Expecting that Dubai will retain one of the world’s leading hubs as international passenger traffic continues to grow, the plans for the terminal include five mega terminals that will allow for a potential 160million passengers when the airport is fully functional, also handling 12 million tonnes of cargo each year.
While details are still scant, expect to see a rapid construction schedule in order to deliver an all singing all dancing airport in just a decade. To put it in context, Heathrow started its consultation in 2006 for a third runway, and we’re still no where closer to having a final decision on the project. So this super-charged approach will leave European hubs like Heathrow in the dust.
If you haven’t already, why not check out our latest YouTube review of BeOnd, which currently uses DWC as its connecting hub.
The Big Dubai Picture
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