The UK government has initiated a $3.5 billion investment in Dubai’s new flagship airport, that once completed will be five times larger than the current Dubai International Airport (DXB).
On November 18, 2025, at the Dubai Airshow, UK Minister for Trade, Sir Chris Bryant presented an ‘Expression of Interest’ letter for a multi-billion-dollar investment in Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC).
The UK Export Finance (UKEF) is looking to secure an investment that ensure British companies can be involved in the $35 billion expansion of the airport, also known as Dubai World Central (DWC).
“This expression of interest for up to $3.5 billion announced by UK Export Finance marks another significant milestone and reinforces the UK’s long-standing partnership with Dubai and its pioneering world-class infrastructure projects,” said Sir Chris Bryant.
The airport owners and developers said the UK letter represented the “first international expression of interest of its kind for the DWC mega-project and signals strong global confidence in Dubai’s long-term aviation strategy and economic vision”.
The initial airport development will accommodate up to 150 million passengers annually, with long-term plans extending the airport’s capacity to 260 million passengers. The expanded airport is expected to become operational in the early 2030s.
“This Expression of Interest letter reflects strong international confidence in the disciplined, engineering-led delivery of the Al Maktoum International Airport expansion. As the master developer and engineering authority for this project, DAEP is focused on clear specifications, modular construction, sustainability, and resilient infrastructure that will serve Dubai for decades,” Suzanne Al Anani, the CEO at Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects.
She added: “We welcome the opportunity for qualified UK suppliers to participate through our procurement frameworks as we scale the next phases of works.”
Al Maktoum International Airport currently plays second fiddle to Dubai International Airport but once completed it will far outstrip its neighbor’s capabilities.
Currently Al Maktoum has two runways, but the expansion will see an additional three added, bringing the total to five.
“The Al Maktoum International Airport expansion project represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rethink how an airport should work and how the journey of the future should feel,” said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports.
