Dubai has approved an extension of the Metro’s Route 2020 to Al Maktoum International Airport, with services expected to begin in 2031. The project will cost AED 2 billion (USD 544.6 million) and add 3 km of track and two new stations, connecting the line to the airport’s West Terminal.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, announced the project on 10 November after an Executive Council meeting held during the UAE Government Annual Meetings 2026. The project will be delivered by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and the Dubai Engineering Projects Establishment.
The Metro extension is one of several projects approved as part of a package worth more than AED 11 billion. The largest allocation, AED 9.59 billion, will fund community facilities in Dubai’s residential areas through 2040. These will include schools, healthcare and sports facilities, and public spaces.
The Current Route 2020
Route 2020 is a 15 km branch of the Red Line with seven stations:
- Jebel Ali, where the branch connects to the main Red Line
- The Gardens and Discovery Gardens
- Al Furjan
- Jumeirah Golf Estates
- Dubai Investments Park
- Expo 2020, in Expo City Dubai
The extension will take Route 2020 from Expo City Dubai to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South. The two new stations will serve the area and the airport’s West Terminal, although their names have not yet been announced.
The West Terminal station will connect the Metro with the planned airport express line and the Etihad Rail high-speed network. Jumeirah Golf Estates station will also serve as an interchange with the Dubai Metro Gold Line, scheduled to open in 2032.
Dubai plans to transfer all commercial flights from Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) between 2032 and 2035. The expansion of DWC is already underway. In April 2024, Dubai approved the design of a new passenger terminal, with AED 128 billion allocated for its construction. Once fully operational, the airport is expected to handle up to 260 million passengers a year.