Dubai International Airport (IATA:
DXB), the hub for the Emirates Airline, serves the city of Dubai and other
emirates in the country. The airport was the 15th busiest airport in the world
by passenger traffic handling 40.9 million passengers in 2009. The airport was
also the 2nd busiest airport in the world by international passenger traffic. In
addition to being an important passenger traffic hub, the airport is the 7th
busiest cargo airport in world, handling 1.927 million tonnes of cargo in 2009,
a 5.6% increase compared to 2008 and was also the 4th busiest International
freight traffic airport in world. Emirates Airline is the national airline of
Dubai. As of 2009, it operated internationally serving 101 destinations in 61
countries across six continents.
The development of Al Maktoum
International Airport (IATA: DWC) was announced in 2004. The first phase of the
airport, featuring one A380 capable runway, 64 remote stands, one cargo
terminal with annual capacity for 250,000 tonnes of cargo and a passenger
terminal building designed to accommodate five million passengers per year, has
been opened. When completed, Dubai World Central-Al Maktoum International will
be the largest airport in the world with five runways, four terminal buildings
and capacity for 160 million passengers and 12 million tons of cargo.