Dubai International (DXB), the world’s busiest airport in terms of international passengers, plans to close one of its two runways for 45 days in May and June, to allow for a major refurbishment.  

The airport will close its Northern Runway from May 9 to June 22. The Southern Runway underwent a similar closure for refurbishment in spring 2019. 

“While regular runway maintenance is scheduled on a weekly basis, more extensive upgrades such as the one planned require a complete closure of the runway,” owners of Dubai Airports said March 22. 

The airport operator said the last time this level of work was carried out on the northern runway was in 2014, while the southern runway underwent similar improvements in 2019. 

With one of its runways remaining operational during the refurbishment process, the airport will remain open for flights, but some services will be diverted to Dubai World Central (DWC), sometimes known as Dubai South, around 65 km (40 mi.) away. 

The airport company has informed all its airline operators to plan for flight reductions and adjust their timetables accordingly. Passengers are advised to also check with their airlines or their tickets to ensure they head for the correct airport.