Vienna Airport Focuses on Expansion: 420-Million-Euro Terminal Expansion Project Launched
The foundation stone for a comprehensive terminal expansion has been laid at Vienna Airport Schwechat. With a budget of 420 million euros, the airport will not only become larger but also more modern and customer-friendly by 2027.
Vienna Airport in Schwechat plans to significantly expand Terminal 3 with a 420 million euro investment, including new shopping, catering, and bus gates, in the coming years. / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons / Stanislav Doronenko / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)
The official start of construction ceremony was attended by Johanna Mikl-Leitner, Governor of Lower Austria, Michael Ludwig, Mayor and Governor of Vienna, as well as the airport board members Julian Jäger and Günther Ofner.
The expansion includes a new, attractive terminal area with an area of 70,000 square meters. Among other things, 30 new shopping and gastronomy outlets are planned, which will increase the existing space by 50 percent to a total of 30,000 square meters. The new outlets will include top Austrian brands as well as international premium brands. In addition, spacious lounge areas, exclusive lounges, and 18 new bus gates are to be created, complemented by a modern security checkpoint.
The project, which is being financed from the airport's cash flow, relies on digitalization and Building Information Modelling (BIM) for planning and project management to keep to cost and time schedules. Despite the complexity of the construction work, which is taking place during ongoing operations, those responsible are confident that the project will be completed on time.
The southern extension of the terminal is part of a quality and investment offensive that is intended to catapult Vienna Airport into the top league of international airports. The airport is responding to the growing number of passengers and increasing service requirements with improved transfer routes and an expansion of the infrastructure. Those responsible emphasize the importance of the project for the region and beyond. Completion of the terminal expansion in 2027 is set to open a new chapter in the airport's success story.
Third runway still questionable
In January, Jäger explained at a press conference that no decisions would be made this year regarding the third runway. However, the plan was to decide in 2025 or 2026, as reported by ORF.
The Executive Board assumes that the construction period will be seven years. The airport applied for a postponement in 2023 and now has until mid-2033 to build the third runway. Vienna Airport, which recorded almost 29.5 million passengers in 2023, the second-best result in its history, is not only an important transportation hub but also a major employer and a driver for the local economy and tourism.