Top 10 Largest Airport Projects

With air travel set to surpass 2019 pre-Covid levels this year, airport authorities are aggressively expanding their airfields to handle the anticipated traffic levels.

Here are the ten largest airport construction projects in 2024.

1. Al Maktoum International Airport | Dubai

Cost: $33 billion

Topping the global list of major airport projects is the expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai, which will transform the airfield into the world’s biggest airport by 2050 – with a capacity of 255 million passengers per year.

Phase one of the $33 billion project, which is also known as Dubai World Central, will increase the airport’s capacity to 130 million passengers by 2030. 

The DWC project was launched in June 2010 for cargo operations and October 2013 for passengers but it stalled in 2020 following the outbreak of Covid-19. 

Officials are now pushing for a restart of the project following the rebound of air travel, which saw Dubai International Airport handling 66.1 million passengers last year. 

2. JFK Airport | USA

Cost: $18 billion

The John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, USA is getting an $18 billion makeover that seeks to transform the facility into a world-class airport.

The major feature of the project is the $9.5 billion New Terminal 1, which is being built on the site of the current Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, and the former Terminal 3, which was demolished in 2014.   

The 2.4 million square foot terminal that will anchor the south side of the JFK will be more than twice the size of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.

The four-part upgrade of the JFK Airport includes the ongoing $4.2 billion construction of Terminal 6, the $1.5 billion expansion of Terminal 4 – which kicked off in December 2021, and the ongoing $425 million modernization of Terminal 8.

The project is scheduled for completion in 2030.

3. Heathrow Airport | UK

Cost: $17.4 billion

The planned expansion of Heathrow Airport in London, United Kingdom, features among the largest airport construction projects in the world. 

The $17.4 billion project, which involves the construction of a third runway, was approved in 2015 but the Court of Appeal later ruled that the approval was unlawful because it did not take into account the country’s climate commitments.

In 2020, the project was granted the go ahead by the Supreme Court, but it ended on the ice following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

CK understands that talks are underway between stakeholders to kickstart the expansion project later in the year.

The third runway is expected to boost Heathrow Airport’s capacity by 50%, allowing it to handle up to 280,000 extra flights a year.

4. Long Thanh International Airport | Vietnam

Cost: $16 billion

Vietnam is building a new airport 40km east of Ho Chi Minh City, which will on replace Tan Son Nhat International Airport as the largest airfield in the country.

Billed as Vietnam’s most expensive project the $16 billion Long Thanh International Airport will be undertaken in phases, with the first phase involving construction of a new terminal and a 4km-long runway.

Work on the airfield began in 2021 and the initial phase is set for completion in 2025 at a cost of $4.1 billion to serve 25 million passengers annually.

On final completion, the airport will serve 100 million passengers a year.

5. Los Angeles International Airport | USA 

Cost: $14 billion

A massive upgrade of Los Angeles International Airport is currently underway, as the city gets ready for the 2028 Olympic Games.

The $14 billion modernization programme – the largest project in the history of Los Angeles has been underway since 2009, with completion set for 2024.

The project involves renovations of Terminal 4 and 5, runway enhancements, and the construction of an Automated People Mover designed to move people between the terminals and three stops outside the airport.

The program focuses on increasing capacity, enhancing passenger experience, and promoting sustainability at one of the world’s busiest airports.

6. Sangley Point International Airport | Philippines

Cost: $11 billion

Construction of the $11 billion Sangley Point International Airport (SPIA) is moved closer to reality in February after the SPIA Development Consortium submitted a $5 billion performance bond in readiness to start work in 2024.

RELATED: World’s 10 Biggest Airports

The SPIA is designed as a two-runway airport handling 75 million passengers, expandable to four runways handling up to 130 million passengers.

Construction of a first runway, within four years, will provide the airport with a capacity of 25 million passengers, before a second runway lifts that to 75 million.

7. Changi Airport Terminal 5 | Singapore

Cost: $10 billion

The Changi Airport in Singapore is set to undergo a major overhaul that seeks to enhance its capacity to handle the rising demand for air travel in the country.

The $10 billion project involves the construction of Terminal 5 and the expansion of existing terminals 1, 2, and 3.

T5 is envisioned to be one of the largest airport terminals in the world, capable of handling 50 million passengers annually upon its completion in 2030.

Construction is scheduled to start in 2025.

8. U-Tapao Aviation City | Thailand

Cost: $8.8 billion

Thailand is set to begin construction of U-Tapao Aviation City later this year.  

The $8.8 billion project involves upgrading the Vietnam-war-era Utapao Airport into Thailand’s third main international airport.

U-Tapao Airport will connect with Don Muang Airport, and the country’s main Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The goal of the project is to create a modern aviation hub that offers a range of amenities, and business opportunities to complement the existing U-Tapao airport.

The project, christened ‘Eastern Aviation City’ will sit on 1,040 hectares.

9. Solidarity Transport Hub | Poland

Cost: $8 billion

Poland is planning what is billed as one of the largest airport projects in Europe near the village of Baranow, about 40km west of Warsaw.

The $8 billion project entails the construction of a new airport – to be known as Centra Airport, which will be one of the largest airports in Europe with the capacity to handle 45 million passengers upon its completion in 2027.

The project also includes the development of high-speed rail connections, road infrastructure, and logistics facilities to enhance economic development.

10. Noida International Airport | India

Cost: $8 billion

Construction is underway for Noida International Airport, a massive airfield that is expected to become India’s largest airport upon its completion in 2024.

The Noida International Airport is coming up in Jewar, a town in the Gautam Buddh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, near Noida city.

The $4 billion airport will initially open with a single runway and terminal building handling 12 million passengers a year, but later phases will push the capacity to 75 million passengers annually.

The Noida International Airport will serve as an alternative airport to the existing Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi.

Switzerland’s Zürich Airport International is in charge of building the project.

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