Dubai’s aviation sector is poised for a major expansion, creating 185,000 new jobs by 2030, according to a new report released by Emirates Group and Dubai Airports. The report, compiled by Oxford Economics, highlights the growing impact of aviation on Dubai’s economy, projecting the total number of aviation-related jobs to reach 816,000 by the end of the decade. This represents a significant rise from 631,000 jobs in 2023, which accounted for one in five jobs in the emirate. By 2030, this figure is expected to grow to one in four.
Of the current workforce, 303,000 jobs are supported by the aviation sector’s core impact, while 329,000 are tied to the catalytic effects of aviation-facilitated tourism. The core sector directly employs 103,000 people, with an additional 200,000 jobs supported through supply chains and employee consumption. In 2023, these direct employees earned a total of Dh23 billion in wages.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and CEO of Emirates Airline and Group, emphasized the sector’s potential for job creation. “Our growth plans will generate even more skilled jobs,” he stated. Dubai’s aviation industry has rebounded strongly since the pandemic, with airlines such as Emirates and flydubai significantly expanding their workforce as they added new routes.
A key driver of this growth will be the Al Maktoum International Airport, set to become the world’s largest upon completion. While the expansion of Dubai World Central (DWC) is not included in the core job impact figures, it is expected to contribute Dh6.1 billion to Dubai’s GDP by 2030, generating an additional 132,000 jobs. When fully operational, the new airport will have over 400 aircraft stands and serve 260 million passengers annually.
Emirates Airline and Dubai Airports are expected to create 24,000 direct jobs by 2030, increasing their workforce from 103,000 in 2023 to 127,000. Emirates alone is projected to increase its direct workforce by over 23%, from 81,000 to 104,000, while Dubai Airports will expand from 21,000 to 23,000 employees.
The sector’s broader economic impact is also substantial, with Emirates supporting 106,000 indirect jobs in 2023, a figure expected to grow to 135,000 by 2030. Dubai Airports and other aviation entities supported 33,000 indirect jobs last year, a number that will rise to 48,000. In total, the aviation sector contributed to 413,000 jobs across Dubai in 2023, equivalent to one in every eight jobs in the city.
By 2030, the overall number of jobs supported by Dubai’s aviation industry is projected to reach 516,000, driven by the sector’s continued expansion and the catalytic impact of air travel on tourism and related industries. Sheikh Ahmed reiterated the sector’s central role in Dubai’s global connectivity, noting that “strong air connectivity” has helped position Dubai as a leading hub for trade, tourism, and investment on the world stage.
