Suvarnabhumi Airport Expansion Plans Set to Accommodate 150 Million Passengers by 2033
Airports of Thailand outlines ambitious project to upgrade the flagship airport amid rising tourist numbers.
Airports of Thailand (AoT) has announced a comprehensive plan to expand Suvarnabhumi Airport, aiming to accommodate up to 150 million passengers annually by 2033. The current capacity of the airport stands at approximately 65 million passengers per year, and the expansion effort involves an investment of 142 billion baht.
AoT President Kerati Kijmanawat presented the details of the expansion, which includes a major 12-billion-baht project for the East Expansion.
This initial phase is expected to increase passenger capacity by 15 million annually, bringing the total to 80 million.
The process for selecting a contractor for this phase will commence in May, with construction slated to begin in November and completion anticipated in 2028. Upon completion, the airport's total area will increase to 480,000 square meters.
In addition to the East Expansion, a new South Terminal is planned, which will facilitate another increase in capacity of 70 million passengers per year.
The bidding and construction timeline for the South Terminal is projected for 2027, with a completion target of 2033. The budget allocated for this terminal is set at 130 billion baht.
The decision to cancel an earlier proposal for an additional satellite terminal (SAT-2) stems from the assessment that the South Terminal would provide sufficient capacity without introducing complications related to baggage handling and transfer processes.
Similar considerations led to the abandonment of proposed west and north expansions.
To address existing congestion issues at the airport, particularly concerning check-in and immigration processing, AoT has implemented various initiatives, including the installation of self-check-in kiosks, self-bag drop systems, e-gates, and biometric identification systems.
These enhancements have already increased the airport's immigration processing capacity from 5,500 to 7,200 passengers per hour, with plans for further improvements in the future.
Passenger numbers at Suvarnabhumi Airport are projected to approach 65 million this year, an increase from 60 million in the previous year, underscoring the pressing need for the expansion amid Thailand's growing tourism sector.
AoT President Kerati Kijmanawat presented the details of the expansion, which includes a major 12-billion-baht project for the East Expansion.
This initial phase is expected to increase passenger capacity by 15 million annually, bringing the total to 80 million.
The process for selecting a contractor for this phase will commence in May, with construction slated to begin in November and completion anticipated in 2028. Upon completion, the airport's total area will increase to 480,000 square meters.
In addition to the East Expansion, a new South Terminal is planned, which will facilitate another increase in capacity of 70 million passengers per year.
The bidding and construction timeline for the South Terminal is projected for 2027, with a completion target of 2033. The budget allocated for this terminal is set at 130 billion baht.
The decision to cancel an earlier proposal for an additional satellite terminal (SAT-2) stems from the assessment that the South Terminal would provide sufficient capacity without introducing complications related to baggage handling and transfer processes.
Similar considerations led to the abandonment of proposed west and north expansions.
To address existing congestion issues at the airport, particularly concerning check-in and immigration processing, AoT has implemented various initiatives, including the installation of self-check-in kiosks, self-bag drop systems, e-gates, and biometric identification systems.
These enhancements have already increased the airport's immigration processing capacity from 5,500 to 7,200 passengers per hour, with plans for further improvements in the future.
Passenger numbers at Suvarnabhumi Airport are projected to approach 65 million this year, an increase from 60 million in the previous year, underscoring the pressing need for the expansion amid Thailand's growing tourism sector.
