Dubai: Get ready for a massive change in how you fly in and out of Dubai! Officials announced on Thursday that the first part of the new Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) is set to be finished by 2032. This first phase will be able to handle a whopping 150 million passengers every year. Once it's up and running, it will start taking over ALL flights from the current Dubai International Airport (DXB), a top official said.

As part of this big move, a contract worth 1 billion dirhams has been given out to build a second runway at DWC. This announcement was made by Khalifa Al Zaffin, who's in charge of Dubai Aviation City Corporation, at The Airport Show. He also said that the very first step of building the second runway, which costs 75 million dirhams, is already underway.

Earlier this week, the people in charge showed off what the new airport will look like, calling it the "most futuristic airport in the world." Al Zaffin confirmed that they are still talking to builders, but stressed that the team is "moving quickly" to get the project done on time.

"The design is being finalized, and we've already started working on the ground," he said. "The airport will be amazing with technology in every way. We're trying to make it feel natural and easy to use."

Last month, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, who is the head of Dubai's civil aviation and the chairman of Dubai Airports (DXB), confirmed that contracts had been given out for the work to be done on DWC – which will be the biggest airport in the world when it's all finished.

What it Will Look Like:

Al Zaffin described how the airport will be laid out. "There's going to be one giant building for everyone arriving and leaving, and then it will connect to different sections," he said. He added that the team looked at many designs before settling on the latest version.

Earlier, the CEO of DXB, Paul Griffiths, had said that DWC will be like eight smaller airports put together, which will make the travel experience feel more personal.

Al Zaffin also added that the airport is being designed to be a "destination" itself, not just a place you pass through. "It will have some of the best and most beautiful shops, duty-free areas, and restaurants," he said. "It's going to be a place where travel is celebrated." A video shown earlier this week showed an airport with cool, immersive experiences, robots carrying bags, and easy baggage claim areas.

When it's all done, DWC will be able to handle 260 million passengers and 12 tons of cargo every year. It will cover a huge area of 70 square kilometers – that's five times the size of DXB – and will have two passenger buildings and seven sections with over 400 gates for airplanes.

Packed with Technology:

Al Zaffin confirmed that technology and artificial intelligence (AI) will play a big part in how the airport works. "All the decisions about which gate an airplane goes to will be made by technology," he said. "If two airplanes have a lot of people changing flights between them, we'll put them next to each other."

Earlier this week, a top immigration official, Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, had said that passengers will be able to go through immigration in just seconds using a smart walkway.

However, Al Zaffin said that might take some time to put into practice. "We're looking forward to being an airport without borders, where people can move through without customs and immigration checks," he said. "That's the plan. How much of that we do in the testing phase and how much we do later, we'll have to see."

Reported by FazTimes Media.

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