Dubai Chambers Chairman Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori stated on October 15, 2026, that Chinese innovation and technology systems will play a pivotal role in the expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport. Speaking at the Dubai Business Forum – China, Al Mansoori described technology partnerships with Chinese enterprises as essential for managing projected passenger volumes efficiently and cost-effectively.
The mega-infrastructure expansion was approved at an estimated capital cost of $34.9 billion (AED 128 billion). The initiative aims to pair Chinese operational expertise in passenger processing and automation with Dubai's major transport developments.
Under the development plan, the initial phase targets handling 150 million passengers annually. The project is designed to eventually reach a full planned capacity of 260 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo across five parallel runways.
Sources
- Arabian Business · 2026-10-15
