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World’s busiest airport for international travel to close

Why Dubai is shutting its main airport
  • Dubai International Airport (DXB) will eventually close, and all operations will move to Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC).
  • DWC is undergoing a $35 billion expansion to increase its capacity to 260 million passengers annually.
  • The move is part of a long-term plan, with the new DWC terminal expected to open in 2032 and full expansion continuing into the 2050s.
  • DXB, currently the world's busiest airport for international travel, handled a record 92.3 million passengers in 2024.
  • The decision to consolidate operations stems from the close proximity of the two airports and DXB's limited expansion capacity.
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