Gulf aviation boom: Saudi Arabia and UAE lead $180bn airport expansion drive across MEASA

Saudi Arabia and the UAE are firmly at the centre of a sweeping Gulf aviation expansion, as the wider Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region poursbns of dollars into new airport infrastructure, capacity upgrades and smart technologies.

Across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), airport construction projects are already well advanced, with 78.7 per cent of total pipeline value now in pre-execution and execution phases.

Saudi Arabia commands the largest share of that pipeline at 42.5 per cent, followed by the UAE at 26.8 per cent and Bahrain at 7.6 per cent, underscoring the Gulf’s dominance in regional aviation development.

Gulf airport investments

Officials say the Middle East and Africa (MEA) airport infrastructure market is expected to grow at more than 5.45 per cent CAGR between 2025 and 2030.

In July 2025, London-based analytics firm Global Data said airports across the six Arabian Gulf Council Countries (AGCC) were undertaking 48 renovation, expansion and new construction projects valued at $182.6bn.

Two mega developments in Dubai and Jeddah alone account for almost 80 per cent of total airport development spending across MENA.

Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport is undergoing a vast expansion designed to make it the world’s largest airport.

The project includes five parallel runways, 400 gates and a target capacity of 260 million passengers annually, with a projected cost of AED128bn ($34.8bn).

In Saudi Arabia, King Abdulaziz International Airport is being expanded with a $31bn investment to handle 114 million passengers per year, with completion expected by 2031. King Salman International Airport is targeting six parallel runways, annual capacity for 185 million passengers and 3.5 million tonnes of cargo.

The Red Sea International Airport is projected to accommodate one million passengers annually upon full completion in 2030, while a new Hajj and Umrah terminal at Jeddah airport is set to handle 15 million passengers per year and is expected to be completed by 2025.

UAE aviation expansion

Beyond Dubai, the UAE continues to expand aviation capacity nationwide. Sharjah International Airport is progressing with a terminal expansion scheduled for completion by 2026, while Ras Al Khaimah International Airport is undergoing a transformative expansion to be fully completed by 2028.

Across the Gulf and wider MEASA region, airports are embedding sustainability at the core of development strategies. Innovations include renewable energy systems, electric and autonomous vehicles, energy-efficient building designs, waste-reduction programmes and digital platforms that optimise operations using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Several of these projects will be showcased and procured at the 25th edition of the Airport Show, taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre from May 12 to 14 next year.

The event is expected to host more than 150 exhibitors from over 30 countries, attract more than 7,000 visitors from over 30 countries, and include 120 hosted buyers.

Held under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, the event will also feature co-located forums including the Global Airport Leaders’ Forum, Airport Security Middle East, ATC Forum, and Women in Aviation (WIA) Middle East Conference.

Sheikh Ahmed said: “We shared an ambition of building smarter, safer, and more sustainable airports, and of enhancing the quality of service and facilities for airlines and passengers alike. At Airport Show 2026, we come together to explore solutions, align visions, and shape the blueprint for airports of the future.”

May Ismail, Event Manager at RX Middle East, said: “Airports in this region have a big role to play as the number of global passengers is expected to reach 17.7bn by 2043. This massively populated region is positioning itself to play a significant role in the evolving landscape of air travel by pumping massive investments in developing and expanding its airport infrastructure and enhancing passenger experience.”

Passenger growth outlook

According to forecasts from the International Air Transport Association, Middle East passenger traffic is expected to reach 530 million by 2043.

South Asia’s airports are expanding to handle more than 100 million passengers by 2043, with India’s airport construction pipeline exceeding US$32bn.

Africa, meanwhile, is expected to see passenger traffic double to 300 million annually by 2040, with 24 airport infrastructure projects valued at $2.3bn currently underway, according to CAPA-Centre of Aviation.