Dubai is poised to expand its aviation industry with an anticipated addition of 185,000 jobs over the next five years, as revealed in a new report by the Emirates Group and Dubai Airports.
Since 2021-22, the aviation sector in Dubai has been on a hiring surge, spurred by a significant increase in travel following the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. This upward trend is expected to persist.
“Our growth plans will generate even more skilled jobs and help drive innovation as we work with leading technology partners to develop future solutions to enhance travel experiences and make operations more efficient and secure,” said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline & Group and Chairman of Dubai Airports.
As a result, the hiring spree that began in late 2021 is set to continue, with airlines and the broader aviation sector in Dubai ramping up their recruitment efforts. By the end of 2023, the Dubai aviation sector already supported over 630,000 jobs. With the forecasted 185,000 new positions by 2030, the sector will employ a total of 816,000 workers. This means that one in four jobs in Dubai will be associated with aviation by 2030, up from one in five in 2023.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum remarked, “Dubai’s aviation sector has been a core pillar of our city’s economic growth strategy to date, and it will continue to play a key role in the D33 Economic Agenda.”
Dubai’s airports currently serve over 88 million passengers and welcomed 17 million international visitors in 2023. The Emirates-Dubai Airports study was conducted by global research firm Oxford Economics and analyzes both direct economic activity from the aviation sector and indirect activities through its supply chain, including the spending impacts of aviation employees.
Construction of DWC Terminal to Create 132,000 Jobs
To meet the growing travel demand, the Dubai government has approved the development of a new passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), with an investment of Dh128 billion. Sheikh Ahmed added, “Our ambitious plans for Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International Airport and our ongoing investments to expand capacity at Dubai International will unlock further economic opportunities by supporting the projected demand for air transport.”
Although the expansion of DWC is not included in the study’s main impact results, the construction project is expected to contribute an estimated Dh6.1 billion to Dubai’s GDP by 2030 and support 132,000 jobs.
The Al Maktoum International Airport is set to redefine the ambitions of Dubai’s aviation industry over the next decade. Its construction will trigger a new wave of hiring.
“These figures don’t even account for the massive new Al Maktoum International Airport, which will be the world’s largest when complete, and Emirates’ new home from the mid-2030s onwards,” said Emirates Airline’s President Sir Tim Clark. “The new airfield and supporting aviation infrastructure around Dubai World Central will unlock capacity for the Emirates Group’s continued growth trajectory. Crucially, it will enable us to meet travel demand to Dubai and across our network and power the next phase of Dubai’s growth.”
Boosting Dubai’s GDP
Based on industry financial and passenger projections, the aviation sector’s contribution to Dubai’s GDP is expected to rise to Dh196 billion by 2030, representing 32% of the forecasted GDP for that year. In 2023, the aviation sector had a significant economic impact, contributing Dh137 billion to the GDP, or 27% of the total. This included Dh94 billion from core operations, such as Emirates and Dubai Airports, supporting 303,000 jobs—approximately one in every 11 jobs in the emirate.
Furthermore, aviation-powered tourism generated Dh43 billion, supporting around 329,000 jobs, or roughly one in ten jobs in Dubai. By 2030, tourism-related contributions from the sector are expected to rise to Dh63 billion, while overall tax revenues are projected to increase to Dh4.3 billion, solidifying aviation’s role as a key economic driver (the sector is estimated to have contributed Dh3.2 billion to government tax revenues in 2023).
Tourism Jobs
The report further estimates that aviation-facilitated tourism will support 429,000 jobs.
Emirates’ Contribution
Oxford Economics forecasts that the Emirates Group’s contribution to Dubai’s economy will reach Dh144 billion, making up 24% of Dubai’s projected GDP in 2030. The Emirates’ core economic impact in 2023 supported Dh75 billion in gross value added, equivalent to 15% of Dubai’s GDP, and 236,000 jobs throughout Dubai’s economy—approximately one in every 14 jobs in the emirate. “The number of jobs supported by Emirates in Dubai is forecast to rise to 554,000, or one in six jobs across Dubai,” the report states.
This projection includes the core impact increasing to 300,000 jobs by 2030, while jobs supported through its catalytic impact will rise to 254,000.
Emirates’ Clark stated, “I wish more cities would emulate Dubai in giving aviation the recognition and support it deserves. And I think it’s important to note that Dubai’s aviation success isn’t just a story for the city. What we’ve achieved here is also relevant in the broader world economy. Our aviation sector has helped drive innovation through our unique business models that demand new aircraft types and the latest products, technologies, and services.”
