Dhaka: Dubai continues to push the limits of architectural ambition, with its latest project marking another striking achievement in the city’s development.

Plans for an ambitious new hotel project in the city have surfaced, with developers proposing a 580-metre-tall structure topped by a full-scale Emirates Airbus A380 aircraft as a permanent feature.

The concept, referred to as the ‘Emirates Air Hotel’, would comprise 125 floors and is estimated to cost around US$3 billion (AU$4.5 billion).

The most striking element of the design is an Airbus A380 plane, already the world’s largest passenger aircraft, which would be mounted and secured on top of the tower as part of the complex rather than as an operational plane.

According to reports, the A380 would be integrated into the hotel’s upper public spaces.

Proposed features of the hotel include a sky bar on the 125th floor with walk-through access into the aircraft cabin and glass-bottom walkways extending onto the aircraft’s wings; a 360-degree infinity pool overlooking the city; luxury suites occupying entire floors and multiple Michelin-starred restaurants, including one inside the cockpit of the A380.

Guests and visitors would also be able to enjoy leisure amenities such as lounges styled after Emirates’ First Class, and a nightclub on the aircraft wing that could also serve as a helipad by day.

Developers have positioned the concept as a combined luxury hotel, observation destination, and aviation-themed experience, reinforcing Dubai’s reputation for record-breaking architecture and large-scale tourism attractions.

At this stage, the project remains in the proposal and concept phase. There is no confirmed construction start date or official approval from Emirates airline or Dubai authorities, and while timelines for planning permissions or investment decisions have not been publicly disclosed, some international media are speculating the hotel could be ready to open in 2029.

Observers note that if realised, the hotel would be among the tallest in the world, surpassing existing high-rise hospitality developments, though detailed feasibility and regulatory assessments are still expected.

-B