Dubai International Airport

How Dubai International Airport Became a Dining Hotspot

"Opened in 1960 as the city’s first airfield with a single sand runway for small aircraft, this airport has since transformed into a global aviation and culinary hub, reflecting Dubai’s rapid rise from a fishing village to an international powerhouse. It hosts three gleaming terminals (the newest built in 2008), a massive duty-free operation that began in 1983, and the home carrier launched in 1985 that helped drive huge passenger growth; the facility handled a record-breaking tens of millions of travelers in recent years and has ranked as the world’s busiest airport for international traffic for a decade. Beyond flights, travelers can nap in sleep cabins, get spa treatments, and sample a wide array of dining that blends Middle Eastern, Indian, European, and American flavors. Ambitious expansion plans call for relocation and a multibillion-dollar development at a new site to create a futuristic, culturally inspired complex capable of handling hundreds of millions of passengers annually by the end of the next decade." - Alia Akkam