Dubai Airports has unveiled a AED 14 billion Terminal 4 expansion masterplan at Dubai International Airport (DXB), which will add 25 million passengers of annual handling capacity and bring the airport’s total throughput capacity to 130 million passengers per year when completed in 2030. The announcement follows DXB’s record-breaking 92.3 million passenger year in 2025 — making it the world’s busiest international airport for the 11th consecutive year.
Expansion Scope
Terminal 4 will be built on land adjacent to the existing Terminal 2 complex, adding 14 new wide-body aircraft gates, an expanded arrivals hall with automated passport control, and a direct metro link to the new Dubai Metro Blue Line extension due to complete in 2028. The terminal will be purpose-designed for low-cost carrier operations and regional routes, complementing Terminal 1’s focus on premium and European-bound flights.
B2B Impact
The expansion will create more than 12,000 construction jobs over four years and an estimated 4,500 permanent positions in terminal operations, retail concessions, and ground handling. For UAE businesses dependent on air freight and passenger connectivity — including MICE operators, luxury hospitality groups, and logistics firms — the expanded capacity directly supports Dubai’s D33 Economic Agenda target of doubling the emirate’s GDP by 2033.
Also Read: Setting Up a Business in the UAE 2026: Free Zone, Mainland and DIFC Compared | Highest Paying Sectors and Roles in the UAE — 2026 Salary Benchmark Report | Opinion: Why the UAE Will Be Among the World’s Most Competitive Economies by 2030
Primary source: Dubai Airports, the operator that publishes the expansion plans and passenger figures for DXB.
