And demand looks set to continue to grow 鈥� a forecast released by Bain & Company this summer expects global revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), which is the number of paying passengers multiplied by the total distance travelled, to be 136% of 2019 levels by 2030.

That means even more major airport construction projects are either progressing or getting underway.

Last year, Construction Briefing examined 10 of the biggest projects around the world that are either underway or waiting in the departure lounge.

Now we update that list, adding new projects that have either started or are about to come on stream, as well as updating those previously listed:

1) San Francisco International Airport modernisation, California, USA

Turner Construction broke ground on the $2.6 billion Terminal 3 West modernisation project at San Francisco International Airport in summer this year.

The work involves renovating the existing 650,000 sq ft western half of Terminal 3, including seismic retrofit, an expanded security checkpoint and new passenger amenities. It also involves creating 200,000 sq ft of additional space, allowing for expanded food, beverage and retail concessions. The expanded section is due to open in the autumn of 2027.

The project also includes a new six-storey building to house airline lounges and operational office space, which will open in early 2028. A renovated check-in lobby on the eastern end of Terminal 3 will open in early 2029.

2) Perth Airport redevelopment, Australia

Work on a US$3.4 billion redevelopment plan for Perth Airport in Western Australia started in August this year, after years of planning.

The project involves two multi-storey car parks, a new terminal, an expanded international terminal, a new runway, and an airport hotel.

The first of two car parks 鈥� a six-level structure 鈥� is currently under construction by Australia-based Georgiou Group. Australian construction partners West Coast Civil and Perkins Builders are teaming up to deliver a new aviation support precinct, a terminal apron expansion and new hangar for Virgin Australia.

An international gate upgrade, a 鈥淐ommon User Self Service鈥� kiosk-installation project, and a $1.3-billion rail link to regional municipal centres have already been completed.

The overall multi-billion-dollar project is part of a commercial agreement between Australian airline Qantas and Perth Airport; once redevelopment of the new terminal (Terminal 1) is complete, which is expected in 2031, Qantas and its subsidiary Jetstar will move into the new terminal. The new runway could be completed by 2028, said Perth Airport.

3) San Diego International Airport expansion, California, USA

The $4 billion project to expand San Diego International Airport in California involves updates to critical infrastructure, access, and sustainability features, including management of construction on a new Terminal 1 and the modernisation of Terminal 2 East.

A joint venture of Turner Construction and Flatiron Construction have been working on the phased construction of a replacement Terminal 1 building since signing a more than $2-billion contract in 2020. It involves building up to thirty gates, aircraft boarding bridges, entrance, circulation, arrival and departure roadways, pedestrian bridges, utilities, and upgrades to the central utility plant.

Aecom is providing programme management services for the overall project.

4) Noida International Airport, India

Noida International Airport, in Uttar Pradesh鈥檚 Jewar is set to be India鈥檚 largest when it is finally complete. Switzerland鈥檚 Z眉rich Airport International is in charge of building the project, worth an estimated US$4 billion. Operations were originally due to start in 2024 but the first phase now looks set to be ready for April 2025.

To begin with, it will open with a single runway and terminal building, with a capacity of 12 million passengers a year. But later phases of the construction could see capacity extend to 70 million passengers a year.

Indian construction firm Tata Projects is in charge of the delivery of the airport, supported by engineer Bechtel Engineering and Construction India.

5) Ethiopian Airlines鈥� new airport, Abusera, Ethiopia

Ethiopian Airlines Group has awarded a consultancy contract to a consortium led by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) and Dar Al-Handasah Consultants to advise on what would become Africa鈥檚 largest airport.

The $6 billion first phase of the airport in Abusera south of Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, due for completion in 2029, will serve 60 million passengers. Further phases could serve up to 110 million passengers a year.

Ethiopian Airlines has grown to be Africa鈥檚 biggest airline but its current base at Bole International Airport has no possibilities for significant expansion.

Several other companies are involved in the consortium that has been awarded a technical advisory, engineering, project management and construction supervision contract for the airport. They include Pascall+Watson Architects, aviation specialists Landrum & Brown, and engineers TY Lin.

The new airport will be served by an express railway link running from the centre of Addis Ababa to the airport at Abusera.

6) Solidarity Transport Hub, Poland

Ahead of a general election in the country earlier this year, there had been some uncertainty over whether Poland would remain committed to what has been billed as its largest airport and one of the largest in Europe.

But new Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed in June that the $8bn Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) Programme in Baranow county near Warsaw would go ahead, following a review.

The project involves investments in Poland鈥檚 high-speed rail network to enable travel between Warsaw, 艁贸d藕, Pozna艅, and Wroc艂aw

A location decision for the airport is expected by the end of this year and CPK, the company in charge of the development, aims to obtain a building permit in 2026. Originally the project was set to be completed by 2027 but construction work is now scheduled to be completed by 2031, with the airport launching a year later.

Said Maciej Lasek, government plenipotentiary for CPK said, 鈥淲e have made the CPK Program more realistic so that it is feasible within a realistic schedule, coordinated with railway investments, and complete, ensuring passengers can reach the new central airport without any problems.鈥�

Arup is acting as masterplanner for the project, while South Korea鈥檚 Seoul Incheon Group is strategic adviser.

And in late 2022, a joint venture between Foster + Partners and Buro Happold won a 鈧�150 million (US$165 million) contract to be master architect for the new airport.

7) U-Tapao aviation city, Thailand

Thailand had been due to start construction of its 290-billion baht (US$8.8 billion) U-Tapao aviation city in 2023.

However, the project, called 鈥楨astern Aviation City鈥�, is still awaiting a notice to proceed (NTP), with the commercial operation date now set for 2029 under a 鈥渢entative鈥� timeline.

The project involves turning the Vietnam-war-era U-Tapao airport into the third main international airport in the country. U-Tapao will link with a budget terminal, Don Muang airport, and the country鈥檚 main Suvarnabhumi airport.

A public-private partnership will fund the project. Design and consultancy firm One Works has already won a deal with infrastructure business GMR Group, Thai AirAsia and other stakeholders to develop a masterplan.

In addition to the construction of a passenger terminal with automated people mover (APM), the project will also see the construction of a logistics and cargo complex, a mixed-use, 鈥榮mart鈥� Eastern Airport City, and a commercial centre.

8) Dallas Fort Worth transformation project, USA

The Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in Texas, US, started construction work in the final days of August for a US$9-billion transformation project.

The capital plan 鈥� called DFW Forward 鈥� consists of upgrading terminals (including a $3-billion price tag to rebuild Terminal C), airfields, and transport systems across more than 180 projects.

The air travel authority noted the work will add 115,000 sq ft (10,684m2) and four gates to Terminal C and 140,000 sq ft (13,006m2) and five gates to Terminal A. A new parking structure will also be rebuilt with modern parking technologies and infrastructure.

The consortium design-and-build team constructing the two terminals consists of Texas-based firms Alpha & Omega (roofing and construction), commercial builders Austin Commercial and construction firm Azteca Enterprises. UK-based HOK and American firm Muller & Muller are listed as designers.

The Terminal C portion of the scheme is expected to finish in 2030.

9) Changi Airport Terminal 5, Singapore

Construction of Changi Airport Terminal 5 is now set to start in the first half of 2025, according to an announcement by Singapore鈥檚 Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in September.

Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) and Heatherwick Studio have designed the terminal, which aims to add capacity for about 50 million passengers a year.

The project has required an injection of another $2 billion in investment and is estimated to cost around $10 billion in total. The aim is for the terminal to be operational by the mid-2030s.

10) Sangley Point International Airport, Philippines

The path forward for the $11 billion Sangley Point International Airport in Manila Bay in the Philippines remains unclear.

The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has approved a proposed joint venture between Cavite provincial government and the Sangley Point International Airport (SPIA) Development Consortium. The consortium is led by Filipino entrepreneurs Lucio Tan, Helen Yuchengco-Dee and investment banker Luis Virata. Construction companies linked to the project include engineer Arup and contractor Samsung C&T.

However, further approvals are required before the project can move forward, including a detailed engineering design. An expected start to work in 2024 now looks unlikely.

Transportation Undersecretary for Aviation and Airports, Roberto C.O. Lim told reporters in October this year that the project is 鈥渟till at the early stage鈥�.

Construction of a first runway, which is expected to take four years, would provide the airport with an annual capacity of 25 million passengers, before a second runway lifts that to 75 million.

11) Los Angeles International Airport, USA

Los Angeles World Airports is undertaking a $30 billion capital investment programme at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

The modernisation programme is the largest public works programme in the history of Los Angeles and started in 2009.

Ongoing projects include an airfield and terminal modernisation project (ATMP), an automated people mover (APM) train system (due for completion this year), a consolidated rent-a-car facility served by the APM, the new 146,000 sq ft Midfield Satellite Concourse South, and a complete overhaul of Terminal 6 (due for completion in early 2025).

12) JFK Airport expansion, New York, USA

A project to upgrade and expand John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York started in 2019 with the modernisation of Terminal 8, completed in 2022. Work on Terminal 4 completed last year.

But other elements are still under construction. Construction on Terminals 1 and 6 continue to advance.

In September 2022, the ground was broken for the US$9.5 billion Terminal 1 project with the help of the design-build team AECOM Tishman and Gensler. Work includes building 23 new gates, retail and dining spaces as well as an indoor green space. The entire project anticipated to be complete by 2030.

The $4.2 billion, 1.2 million sq ft Terminal 6 will occupy the site of the former Terminal 6 and 7 when completed. It will feature a two-level concourse, a new check-in space with a centralised security and new hospitality and retail facilities, with completion expected in 2028.

Meanwhile, a $1.24 billion project to revamp the on-airport roadway transportation network will complete in 2027.

13) Long Thanh International Airport, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Construction of the runway at Vietnam鈥檚 $16 billion new airport in Ho Chi Minh City was this summer reported to be two months ahead of schedule.

The airport has been billed as the most expensive infrastructure project in the country鈥檚 history, and has been in the planning since the early 2000s, although it only officially broke ground last year.

The first phase of the project involves building a new terminal and a 4km-long runway. Completion is due for 2025 and the airport will be able to handle 25 million passengers a year.

Construction of the airport terminal also started just over a year ago. It is being constructed by Vietur, a consortium led by Turkey鈥檚 IC Ictas that also involves Vietnamese companies including the state-owned Vinaconex and Construction Corporation No.1 as well as private firms Ricons, Newtecons. Work on the US$338.9 million contract is due for completion by November 2026.

The first phase of the airport is expected to cost $4.1 billion, with a capacity to accommodate 25 million passengers per year. In the second phase, a second runway and terminal will be built, which will serve 50 million passengers per year.

14) King Salman International Airport, Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia鈥檚 King Salman International Airport in Riyadh is expected to be the world鈥檚 largest airport once completed, with an estimated cost of around $30 billion.

UK-based construction company Mace has won the role of delivery partner for the project.

The six-runway airport is expected to be ready to transport people travelling for Riyadh Expo 2030 and the FIFA World Cup 2034.

The multi-billion-dollar project will create an airport spanning 57 square kilometres and is expected to handle more than 100 million passengers a year.

15) Al Maktoum International Airport expansion, Dubai

A $33 billion expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai is expected to still at the planning stage.

But client Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP) is also vying for it to be the largest airport in the world, eventually serving 260 million passengers a year with five parallel runways once fully complete.

A $2.7 billion package of work on the substructure of Concourse 1 and the West Terminal building was completed but the project then stalled amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Architecture firm Coop Himmelb(l)au is working with Dar Al-Handasah Consultants, which is the main consultant of the master planning and design of the new airport, on a new design.

The first phase of the project could be complete by 2032.