On Sunday, Dubai announced the start of construction for a new terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport. The Sultan of the Gulf emirate stated that it will be "the world's largest" terminal, with a cost of about $35 billion. We accepted the designs for the new passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport and (are) beginning construction of the structure for AED 128 billion ($34.85 billion)," Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and prime minister of the UAE, stated on X.

According to a government declaration, once the new terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport is completely operational, it would be able to handle up to 260 million passengers annually. Sheikh Mohammed hailed it as having "the world's largest capacity" and being "five times larger than the current Dubai International Airport," which is one of the world's busiest airports.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and CEO of Emirates, stated, "The initial phase of the project will be completed within a decade, with a capacity to serve 150 million passengers annually."Emirates CEO further stated that the airport will serve as the new base for flagship carrier Emirates, its low-cost competitor Flydubai, and all airline partners that facilitate worldwide connections to and from Dubai.Al Maktoum Airport, located on the city's outskirts, has yet to receive a substantial percentage of Dubai's air traffic since 2010. Authorities intend to replace Dubai International Airport, which can accommodate up to 120 million passengers per year but cannot grow due to its central location in the city.