Overview
At the heart of this huge new community is the Al Maktoum International Airport, planned as the world's largest passenger and cargo hub, ten times larger than Dubai International Airport and Dubai Cargo Village combined.
If completed as planned, the airport will have an annual cargo capacity of 12 million tonnes, and a passenger capacity of up to 160 million people per year— which would be more than Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which handled 90 million people in 2008, and is currently the world's busiest passenger airport.
Designed for the future, Al Maktoum International Airport proposes to handle all next-generation aircraft, including the Airbus A380 super-jumbo. Up to four aircraft will be able to land simultaneously, 24 hours a day, minimizing in-air queuing.
The airport will include:
- Five parallel runways, 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) in length, each separated by a distance of 800 metres (2,600 ft). Six runways were originally planned, but the number was reduced to five in April 2009
- Three passenger terminals, including two luxury facilities; one dedicated to airlines of The Emirates Group, the second to other carriers, and the third dedicated to low-cost carriers.
- Multiple concourses
- 16 cargo terminals with a 12-million tonne capacity
- Executive and royal jet centres
- Hotels and shopping malls
- Support and maintenance facilities: the region's only hub for A, B, and C Checks on all aircraft up to A380 specifications
- Over 100,000 parking spaces (probably underground) for airport staff and passengers
- Al Maktoum International Airport and the existing Dubai International Airport will be linked by a proposed high-speed express rail system
- Al Maktoum International Airport will also be served by the Dubai Metro and a dedicated Dubai World Central light railway
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