Five new mega airports set to open across Europe – with long-haul flights and up to 100million passengers
THERE’S nothing worse than heading on holiday to Europe only to land at a cramped old airport.
But a number of holiday destinations have huge plans for new airports that will welcome millions of passengers a year.
Destinations in Greece, Portugal and Poland have revealed plans for new major airports to cope with the huge influx of passengers which the current airports can’t handle.
With opening dates in the next decade, here are some of the exciting new plans.
Warsaw Solidarity Airport, Poland
One of the largest new European airports is to be Poland’s £7billion Warsaw Solidarity Airport.
The huge airport airport hopes to rival both London Heathrow and Dubai as a transport hub, with long-haul flights.
It will replace the current Warsaw Chopin Airport which is nearing capacity, will be able to welcome as many as 65million passengers by 2060.
It hopes to open it’s first stage by 2028.
Luis de Camoes Airport, Portugal
First discussed back in 2008, Lisbon has revealed plans for it’s new Luis de Camoes Airport.
The £7billion airport will replace the current Lisbon Airport which has already reached capacity.
Hoping to welcome as many as 100million passengers by 2050, the airport will have two runways.
It hopes to open by 2034, with the current Lisbon Airport then dismantled.
Kastelli International Airport, Greece
Greece has revealed plans for a huge new £422million airport which will become one of the largest in the country.
Kastelli International Airport is set to open on the island of Crete, replacing the current Nikos Kazantzakis International Airport which opened back in 1937.
The new airport will initially be able to welcome up to 10million passengers although it’s maximum capacity will be 18million passengers.
Also at the airport will be a five-story passenger hub, 13,000sqm shopping area and 3,200 metre long runway.
It hopes to open by 2027.
New Bodø Airport, Norway
Norway is replacing it’s current Bodø Airport with the new £546million New Bodø Airport.
Along with a 25,000sqm terminal, a huge runway right by the water will be built.
The airport hopes to welcome as many as 2.3million passengers a year.
It aims to open by 2029, and be fully operational by 2030.
Tbilisi International Airport, Georgia
A new £993million airport in Georgia is set to replace the current international airport.
Up to 19million passengers would be able to travel through the new airport, compared to the 4.5million at the current airport, which has a maximum of 15million.
It is hopes plans can be complete by next year, and will open by 2028.
What about the world's biggest airport?
Earlier this year, plans behind the world’s biggest airport were revealed – with flights set to take off by 2030.
King Salman International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will have a massive six runways and is expected to see 120million passengers each year.
The huge new travel hub will be spread across 57 square kilometres (22 square miles), with 12 square kilometres dedicated to recreational facilities and a retail space.
You an read more about the huge new airport, here.
Already opened in Europe is the new £400million Aeroporto di Salerno Costa d’Amalfi on the Amalfi Coast in Italy, which opened last month.
And Istanbul Airport, which opened in 2018, has revealed it’s four-phase expansion with plans to welcome 120million passengers by the end of 2028.