FlyDubai And Emirates Set For Expansion As Dubai Eyes Major Airport Upgrade

Travel to and from Dubai is at pre-pandemic peak. With Dubai Airports (DXB) being named the world’s busiest international airport for the ninth time in a row earlier this year. The need for expansion is clear.

While Emirates, flydubai and soon Virgin Airlines are operating flights from DXB, Dubai South’s Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) is set to expand.

A statement on Dubai South’s Twitter said: “Dubai South will be home to the world’s largest airport once complete, and a multi-modal transport infrastructure linking air, land and sea.”

With DWC’s sights set on becoming the world’s largest airport, Emirates and flydubai could be set for expansion too.

Paul Griffiths, chief executive of Dubai Airports told The National: “We will need a new terminal at DWC but the affordability of it, when we will need it, the capacity it needs to be – these are very much open questions based on the forecast of how quickly Emirates, flydubai and other airlines are going to grow over the next decade.”

Whether or not DXB’s operations move to DWC has not yet been decided. Though considering the travel boom and continual growth of airlines including Emirates and flydubai, there is a high possibility of expansion into the Dubai South airport.

Commenting on the timeline, Griffiths said: “Phased project that will give us capacity flow over decades that we can build in modular stages, so that’s very much still on the agenda to be determined.”