Middle Eastern airports will require $151 billion in investments by 2040 to handle an expected surge in passenger numbers to 1.1 billion annually, industry experts said, as the region embarks on its most ambitious aviation expansion yet.
Dubai is leading the charge with a $35 billion project to transform Al Maktoum International into the world’s largest airport, designed to accommodate 260 million passengers, according to aviation authorities.
The expansion drive comes as the region’s 10 largest airlines have ordered 795 new aircraft for delivery by 2029, reflecting confidence in future growth.
Saudi Arabia is developing the $50 billion King Salman International Airport, aiming to handle 300 million passengers annually by 2030, making it the world’s largest airport by passenger capacity.
48 airport renovation and expansion projects worth $182.6 billion are already underway across the Arabian Gulf region.
The expansion plans align with projections showing global passenger traffic reaching 20 billion by 2042.
Other Gulf countries are also upgrading their facilities. Kuwait is constructing a new triangular terminal set to open by 2025, while Sharjah International Airport’s terminal expansion is due for completion in 2026.
Regional carriers are set to outperform global industry projections, with Middle East airlines forecast to earn $5.9 billion in net profit in 2025, up from an estimated $5.3 billion in 2024 and $3.1 billion in 2023. The region’s profit per passenger is expected to reach $23.9 in 2025, significantly exceeding the global average of $7 forecast for that year.
Long-term industry forecasts suggest even stronger growth, with global passenger traffic expected to reach nearly 25 billion by 2052, approximately 2.5 times the 2024 projection. The Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions are positioned to dominate this growth, collectively accounting for 58 per cent of global air passenger demand by 2040.
