Key takeaways
- On 13 October, Dubai announced AED 2.1 trillion of projects under way, including AED 128 billion for Al Maktoum airport and about 350,000 homes by 2030.
- Dubai South property sales almost doubled: 13,687 sales in January to September 2026, up 86 percent on a year earlier (DLD data).
- Prices held: about AED 1,650 per sq ft, 3 percent more than a year ago, even as the wider Dubai market slowed.
- About 25,800 more homes are due in Dubai South from 2027 to 2030. Choose the project and the handover year with care.
On 13 October, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said Dubai has AED 2.1 trillion of projects under way, The National reported. For property buyers, two lines matter most: AED 1.1 trillion of real estate development through 2030, with about 350,000 homes, and AED 128 billion for Al Maktoum International Airport.
The new airport sits in Dubai South. So is Dubai South property the place to be? Here is what the official data shows.
What was announced
- Al Maktoum International Airport: AED 128 billion, part of preparing Dubai for 260 million passengers a year over the next decade (Gulf News, 13 October 2026).
- Homes: AED 1.1 trillion of real estate through 2030, with about 350,000 residential units (The National).
- Getting around: AED 100 billion for roads and the Dubai Metro Blue and Gold lines.
To put 350,000 homes in context: Dubai completed about 36,400 homes a year on average from 2021 to 2025 (DLD project records). The plan means building at roughly twice that pace.
Dubai South property: the numbers
| Dubai South, January to September | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Number of sales | 7,352 | 13,687 |
| Typical price per sq ft | AED 1,600 | AED 1,650 |
| Typical price | AED 1.62 million | AED 980,000 |
Source: Dubai Land Department (DLD) transaction data, Dubai South, all property types, January to September 2025 and January to September 2026. Rounded.
Sales are up 86 percent while the rest of Dubai slowed, as I showed in my off-plan market update. Price per sq ft is up about 3 percent.
The typical price fell because of what people bought, not because homes got cheaper. Studios drove the boom: about 6,280 studio sales in 2026 so far, against about 1,450 in the whole of 2025 (DLD data). A typical studio sold for about AED 650,000.
What does it rent for?
This is where Dubai South looks strong today. In January to September 2026, a typical 1-bedroom apartment rented for AED 58,000 a year and a 2-bedroom for AED 88,000 (DLD data, 1,963 and 1,805 contracts).
Ready 1-bedrooms resold for a typical AED 810,000 in the same months. That is a gross yield of about 7 percent for a 1-bedroom and about 6 percent for a 2-bedroom (resale price AED 1.44 million). These are estimates before service charges and other costs, not a guarantee. My guide to rental yields by area shows how to get from gross to net.
The catch: a lot is still being built
Most of Dubai South is still under construction. The DLD records show about 7,600 homes completed in 36 projects, and about 39,800 more being built in 125 projects.
- Launches: Dubai South was the area with the most new units launched in both 2024 (about 17,300) and 2025 (about 12,700).
- Handovers: about 11,600 units have a stated handover in 2027, the most of any area in Dubai, then about 6,600 in 2028, 6,200 in 2029 and 1,400 in 2030.
Stated dates often slip, but the direction is clear. When thousands of similar flats get their keys in the same year, rents for new leases can soften, and those 7 percent yields may not hold for every building.
What it means if you are buying
- Think in years, not months. An airport this size is built in phases. Buy for where the area will be in five to ten years.
- Check the handover year against the area. A 2027 handover lands in the busiest year. A project already finished, or one landing later, may face less competition for tenants.
- Pick the developer first. Ask what they have actually handed over. My guide on buying off-plan explains the escrow protection.
- Count every cost. On off-plan, the agent's commission is always paid by the developer, never by you. The rest is in my buying costs table.
When Dubai puts AED 128 billion into an airport, I listen. Big infrastructure projects in this city have always pulled homes and jobs towards them, and Dubai South is where the next one is being built.
But an announcement is not a rent cheque. Today's 7 percent yields come from the homes already finished. The thousands due in 2027 will compete for the same tenants.
So my advice is simple: in Dubai South, choose the building, the developer and the handover year as carefully as the area. That is where the money is made or lost.
Stefano Iannotti
Frequently asked questions
What did Dubai announce on 13 October 2026?
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said Dubai has AED 2.1 trillion of projects under way, including AED 1.1 trillion of real estate development through 2030 with about 350,000 homes, and AED 128 billion for Al Maktoum International Airport.
How much does an apartment in Dubai South cost?
In January to September 2026 the typical home in Dubai South sold for about AED 980,000, or AED 1,650 per sq ft, according to DLD data. Ready resale apartments sold for about AED 810,000 for a 1-bedroom and AED 1.44 million for a 2-bedroom.
What rental yield can you expect in Dubai South?
On DLD data for January to September 2026, a typical 1-bedroom rented for AED 58,000 a year against a typical resale price of AED 810,000, a gross yield of about 7 percent. That is an estimate before costs, not a guarantee.
Who pays the agent's commission on an off-plan property in Dubai South?
The developer, always. The buyer never pays the agent's commission on an off-plan purchase. An agent's commission of 2 percent plus VAT, paid by the buyer, applies to ready and resale property only.
Looking at Dubai South?
Send me the project you are considering. I'll show you what the DLD data says about its sales, its handover year and the supply around it. No obligation.
Stefano Iannotti
Real estate advisor in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, specialising in off-plan property for local and international buyers. RERA Broker Card No. 84308. Speaks Italian, English and Spanish.
- The National: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid announces Dh2.1 trillion of projects under way in Dubai (13 October 2026)
- Gulf News: Dubai has Dh2.1 trillion in projects under way, Mohammed bin Rashid reveals (13 October 2026)
- Dubai Land Department (DLD) transaction data and project records: Dubai South sales, January to September 2025 and 2026; studio sales in 2025 and in 2026 to date; apartment rents and resale prices by bedroom, January to September 2026; homes completed and under construction in Dubai South, as of October 2026; units launched by area in 2024 and 2025; stated handovers by area, 2027 to 2030; homes completed in Dubai, 2021 to 2025