Dubai’s Al Maktoum Airport, already one of the world’s most ambitious aviation infrastructure projects, is set to receive the world’s largest automated people mover (APM) system, with a 50-kilometer network connecting the new passenger terminal to broader transport infrastructure. The contract, announced on August 20, 2026, underscores the massive scale of Dubai’s airport expansion ambitions.
According to Khaleej Times, the APM system contract has been awarded to a consortium of Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, with the order valued at up to Rs 5,000 crore (approximately $600 million). The system will serve the new passenger terminal at Al Maktoum, which is designed to handle up to 260 million passengers annually when fully operational.
Business Standard reported that the L&T-MHI consortium won the large contract after a competitive bidding process. The project involves designing, manufacturing, and installing a fully automated transit system that will move passengers across the sprawling airport complex, which is slated to become the world’s largest airport upon completion.
Gulf News provided further detail on the scope: the 50-kilometer people mover system represents an engineering feat, dwarfing APM systems at other major international airports. For context, most airport people movers cover distances of 1-5 kilometers; Dubai’s system will span an order of magnitude beyond that.
The project is part of Dubai’s broader aviation infrastructure investment, which aims to consolidate the emirate’s position as a global aviation hub. Al Maktoum Airport, located at Dubai World Central, is being developed as the successor to Dubai International, with phased expansion planned over the coming decades.
The Airport Show 2026, Emirates 24/7 reported, will spotlight digital transformation and green technologies in aviation — themes directly relevant to the Al Maktoum project. The new airport is being designed with sustainability as a core principle, including energy-efficient systems, electric ground vehicles, and renewable energy integration.
For Dubai’s business community, the APM contract signals significant opportunities across the construction and engineering supply chain. The project will require specialized manufacturing, systems integration, and ongoing maintenance — creating demand for skilled labor and technical services over a multi-year period.
The contract also highlights the growing role of Indian engineering firms in Gulf infrastructure projects. L&T, one of India’s largest construction companies, has been expanding its Middle East operations, and the Al Maktoum APM contract represents one of its largest international infrastructure wins to date.
Al Maktoum Airport’s development is a cornerstone of Dubai’s economic diversification strategy, with the broader project expected to create hundreds of thousands of jobs and generate significant economic activity in logistics, tourism, and related services once operational.
