Dubai Airports CEO, Paul Griffiths, announced plans to replace the world's busiest airport, Dubai International (DXB), with a larger facility due to the escalating demand for passengers.

Griffiths stated at the Dubai Airshow 2023 that once DXB reaches its optimized capacity of about 120 million passengers annually, anticipated in the 2030s, the construction of a new airport will become necessary. The projection for DXB's annual passenger traffic in 2023 is 86.8 million, surpassing 2019 numbers, with potential capacity expansion to 120 million through technological innovations and efficient space utilization.

Griffiths shared that the design elements for the mega-airport would be under development in the coming months. Emphasizing the need for Al Maktoum International to surpass Dubai International in both size and quality, he outlined the project's extended timeline, spanning into the 2050s, as the team adopts a long-term perspective.

Regarding the swift recovery from the pandemic-induced slowdown, Griffiths highlighted the pent-up demand for travel, explaining that the rebound was anticipated. While he didn't disclose specific details regarding the new airport's cost or capacity goals, he did reveal that the design would follow a modular approach, departing from traditional terminal-focused models.

This innovative design strategy aims to enhance flexibility and facilitate future expansions.

"We are not planning an airport with terminals. We're fundamentally changing the airport business model, making it more intimate and eliminating the legacy processes that have burdened our customers for too long," he concluded.