Emirates Airlines on May 18 opened a $5.1 billion aircraft engineering facility that will become one of the world’s largest aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul developments. The Dubai South facility, located next to Al Maktoum International Airport, will be a massive next-generation complex with 1.1 million square meters.
Construction is already underway on the facility, which will have the world’s largest free hanger, according to a statement released by Dubai government-owned Emirates. With a width of 285 meters, it will have the capacity to service 28 wide-body aircraft simultaneously and will include two state-of-the-art paint hangars. The site will include 77,000 square meters of dedicated workshop space for repairs and maintenance; 380,000 square meters of storage and logistics; an administrative building that will occupy 50,000 square meters and a training center of 15,000 square meters. A dedicated airfield access walkway will allow aircraft access to it from the airstrips.
Funding for the complex will be provided entirely from Emirates’ own balance sheet and cash reserves. There is no indication of external lenders or separate government budget allocations. The 2025-26 financial results reported by Emirates will provide for the capital investment of $5.1 billion. The airline entered the 2025-26 fiscal year with $16.2 billion in cash assets and record profits.
Dubai South aims to establish Dubai as a global destination for aeronautical engineering. It is already a major international hub for global air travel between eastern and western destinations.
The engineering facility “is a strategic step forward in Dubai’s future-focused aviation ambitions,” said Emirates Chairman and CEO Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum. “The new facility reinforces Emirates’ vertical engineering integration strategy by bringing more skills, infrastructure, parts production and specialist capabilities under one roof, while positioning the airline to serve as a strategic engineering partner for the future requirements of the regional and global aviation industry.”
He added that the facility reinforces Dubai’s D33 economic agenda and its ambition to remain a global aviation hub. The long-term strategy is designed to double the size of Dubai’s economy within 10 years and position it among the top three global cities for business, investment and quality of life.
The work in Dubai South will be carried out by China Railway Construction Corp. Ltd, while the international consulting and engineering group Artelia will act as a consultant for the project. The engineering facility is due to be completed by 2030, when it will begin servicing aircraft requiring heavy maintenance and overflow projects from the airline’s engineering center at Dubai International Airport, about 30 miles away.
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China Railway Construction Chairman Dai Hegen said the Beijing-based company would “mobilize premium resources and assemble a professional team to deliver” the facility… striving to build a model project for China-UAE cooperation.
Dubai South is also expected to exemplify sustainability, with all facilities in the project targeting a LEED Platinum rating, with features to include rooftop solar panels throughout the complex.
