(DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES) Emirates Airline set out a sweeping 20-year vision that shifts its home base to Al Maktoum International Airport and builds a fleet of more than 300 aircraft, with President Sir Tim Clark describing the new hub as “the largest of its kind in the world ever built.” The plan, mapped through 2041, comes with a surge in capacity, a wave of new aircraft deliveries, and a network push that reaches deeper into Asia, Africa, and potentially new long-haul markets as widebody technology opens longer routes.
Strategic hub move and government backing
Clark’s blueprint details fleet deployment, routes, and operations over two decades, anchoring the airline’s growth at a new four-concourse terminal with 400 gates and five parallel runways.
- In April 2024, the Dubai government approved AED 128 billion (about $35 billion) for phase two expansion at Al Maktoum International Airport.
- Officials project the enlarged airport will increase throughput from roughly 100 million to 260 million passengers a year.
The transition away from Dubai International is expected to begin in about seven years from those announcements. That creates a multi-year shift in how the carrier and its partners schedule aircraft, staff ground operations, and handle passenger flows.
Capacity and demand projections
At today’s scale, Emirates carries around 1.5 million passengers each week. Internal projections foresee:
- More than doubling that figure over the next decade.
- Further acceleration once flights move in greater numbers to the new airport.
Emirates’ argument: more gates, more runways, and a purpose-built hub allow higher aircraft utilization and more banks of connections. VisaVerge.com reports that Clark frames the strategy as a measured, long-range plan rather than a short burst of growth, emphasizing infrastructure that can keep pace with rising demand.
The plan is staged and deliberate — designed to phase growth in line with infrastructure readiness rather than forcing a rapid switch.
Fleet pipeline and composition
The aircraft pipeline underpins the growth strategy.
- As of January 2025, Emirates operates:
- 116 Airbus A380s
- 133 Boeing 777s
- A record $50 billion Boeing order in 2023 added 90 jets from the 777X family, bringing the 777X backlog to 205 aircraft.
- A 2023 Airbus purchase of 15 A350-900s brought the A350 backlog to 65.
- In total, Emirates holds 314 pending deliveries, positioning the fleet to pass the 300-aircraft mark.
This backlog gives Emirates flexibility to match aircraft type to route length and demand, enabling staged growth and network experimentation.
Route expansion and fleet deployment strategy
New routes planned for 2025 include:
- China: Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Chengdu
- Vietnam: Da Nang
- Congo (DRC): Kinshasa
- Republic of Congo: Brazzaville
- Finland: Helsinki
- Cambodia: Siem Reap
The Airbus A350 is expected to carry much of this expansion into thinner long-haul city pairs, opening nonstop options that once required stops. Company planning indicates the A350 could help the airline push into regions previously beyond reach, including parts of Central America, adding geographic balance to the network.
Staged capacity model
Emirates plans a laddered approach to capacity:
- Launch developing routes with the A350 to test and build traffic.
- As demand grows, shift to larger twins such as the 777X.
- Use that progression to support year-round service on new destinations rather than purely seasonal operations.
Airport operations and traveler impact
Al Maktoum International Airport is being developed to support:
- Dense transfer waves
- Fast turnarounds
- Large numbers of widebodies on the ground simultaneously
Emirates says the new layout will allow better scheduling of arrivals and departures, with room for future growth after the initial move. For travelers, the promise is a larger route map and more flight choices in peak periods. For the airline, the priorities are speed, scale, and the ability to add frequencies on busy routes.
Training, maintenance, and infrastructure investments
Emirates is investing heavily in capabilities to match growth:
- A new flight crew training center opened in September 2025 after a US$135 million build.
- This expands yearly pilot training capacity by 54%, adding 45,000 hours.
- The facility houses six full flight simulator bays tailored for A350s and the 777X family.
- A $950 million investment is going into a new engineering facility at the future airport site for heavy maintenance and fleet support close to the hub.
These expansions align training and engineering capacity with the incoming fleet types that will drive the next growth wave.
Cabin refresh and passenger experience
Cabin upgrades are underway to keep the onboard product consistent across current and future fleets:
- More than 200 aircraft (including A380s and 777-300ERs) are undergoing nose-to-tail refurbishments.
- Clark stated that modernizing first-class on a single A380 costs about $20 million, indicating the airline’s commitment to maintaining premium competitiveness.
These upgrades are timed to bridge the gap between existing fleets and incoming deliveries so the onboard experience remains consistent during the long transition to Al Maktoum International Airport.
Regulatory oversight and alignment
Regulatory and safety oversight will continue to be central as the project advances. The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority provides government standards relevant to operations and expansion.
- Official guidance: UAE General Civil Aviation Authority
- Emirates did not detail regulatory timelines, but the staged shift is designed to align with infrastructure completion and operational readiness.
Key numbers and takeaways
- AED 128 billion approved for airport works (April 2024)
- 314 pending aircraft deliveries
- 400 gates and five parallel runways planned at the new hub
- Over 200 aircraft undergoing cabin refurbishments
- Training center and engineering facility investments to support fleet growth
- 2025 network additions: Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Da Nang, Kinshasa, Brazzaville, Helsinki, Siem Reap
Clark’s description of the airport as “the largest of its kind in the world ever built” encapsulates the scale. The combined numbers — government funding, aircraft backlog, refurbishment program, and training and maintenance build-out — illustrate a methodical, long-term plan to expand Emirates’ global reach while managing operational complexity through phased execution.
This Article in a Nutshell
Emirates announced a 20-year strategy to relocate its hub to Al Maktoum International Airport and expand its fleet beyond 300 aircraft by 2041. Dubai greenlit AED 128 billion for airport expansion to 400 gates and five runways, raising capacity to 260 million passengers. The airline’s 314 pending deliveries—including 205 777X and 65 A350s—will support route growth into Asia, Africa and new long-haul markets. Investments in training, maintenance and cabin refurbishments will align operations with phased infrastructure readiness and passenger experience goals.
