Antalya Airport, the gateway to the world for the Mediterranean tourism capital Antalya, has completed the first phase of a comprehensive expansion project and started providing services with a new terminal and airside capacity. 850 million euros were spent in the first phase of this huge investment, which was implemented in partnership with TAV Airports and Fraport.
First Passengers Welcomed with Flowers
The T2 international terminal, the expansion of which has been completed, welcomed its first passengers with SunExpress flight XQ301 to Ercan. Passengers who disembarked were greeted with flowers and special gifts and were the first to experience the comfort of the new terminal. The TAV Airports and Fraport joint venture has significantly increased the airport’s capacity with this first phase, which was completed in less than three years. The partnership aims to increase the airport’s annual passenger capacity to over 80 million during the concession period.
Terminal Areas and Commercial Areas Have Doubled
With the expansion project, the area of the T2 international terminal has almost doubled to 225 thousand square meters. The area of the domestic terminal has increased to 75 thousand square meters. The total commercial areas have approximately tripled to make passengers enjoy their time at the airport more enjoyable. The lounge areas, food and beverage venues and duty-free shops in the T2 terminal have been completely redesigned with a modern design.
Major Expansion and New Facilities on the Apron
Significant improvements were also made on the airside. 1,4 million square meters of new space was added to the apron, significantly increasing the number of aircraft parking positions to 202. The first phase investment also completed a multi-storey car park, new taxiways, connecting roads, aircraft maintenance hangars, a general aviation terminal and other supporting facilities.
Praise for the Project from Business Partners
TAV Airports CEO Serkan Kaptan expressed his satisfaction with the completion of the project, saying, “We are delighted to complete the expansion project at Antalya Airport and welcome our passengers to Türkiye’s second busiest hub in terms of international traffic. This investment will significantly enhance the passenger experience and provide capacity for further traffic growth. This strategically important project will pave the way for airlines to deploy more aircraft in Antalya while providing the necessary infrastructure to support the long-term development of the region.”
Fraport CEO Dr. Stefan Schulte said: “The opening of the additional terminal areas is a milestone for us in strengthening Antalya’s position as the leading holiday airport in the Mediterranean region. The new infrastructure will enable us to meet the rapidly growing demand for air transport on the Turkish Riviera. This construction project has been an extraordinary success. We have once again proven our ability to implement complex and challenging projects in a very short time.”
Completely Renewed Passenger Experience
The expansion project was not limited to just increasing capacity, but also took the passenger experience at Antalya Airport to a whole new level. Special passenger lounges, rich food and beverage options and modern shopping areas were created within the terminal. Three new special passenger lounges (Comfort, Elite and Premium) appealing to different passenger segments were put into service.
New Concepts in Taste and Shopping
BTA, a subsidiary of TAV Airports, and Fraport partnership BFA have opened 2 different food and beverage outlets in a total area of 7 square meters in the T500 terminal. The “Taste of Anatolia” concept, implemented in collaboration with Chef Ömür Akkor, was designed to reflect the rich culinary culture of Anatolia. BFA has also undertaken the food and beverage services of the private passenger lounges. ATÜ Duty-Free, a leading brand in airport retail, has opened its main store in T28 and has begun offering passengers a wide range of products. In addition, a special fashion and accessory concept featuring different brands has been created. ATÜ has also brought the “Old Bazaar” concept, which includes local designs and products, to Antalya Airport in a large area. Having also opened two stores on the T2 arrivals floor, ATÜ will open two more stores in the terminal in the coming period, increasing the total duty-free area to approximately 2 thousand square meters.
New Private Lounges and Exclusive Services
The three new private lounges that have been put into service in the T2 terminal have been designed with different concepts. The Comfort Lounge, which is approximately 2 square meters, will continue to serve mainly loyalty program members and airline passengers. The Elite Lounge, which is 500 square meters, and the Premium Lounge, which is 500 square meters, will serve passengers mainly through partnerships with tour operators and hotels. A separate duty-free shop is easily accessible from all lounges. The lounges also offer additional services such as selected flavors from Turkish and world cuisine, a game room and a massage room. Terrace access is also provided in the Elite and Premium private lounges, and passengers can order from the food and beverage points in the terminal. The Premium Lounge, which has a separate entrance outside the terminal, offers a special area where all checks can be done in a short time. Here, passengers are offered privileged services such as an a la carte menu prepared by a special chef and transfers to the aircraft with luxury vehicles.
Highest Environmental Standards
Antalya Airport’s T2 International Terminal and T4 Domestic Terminal expansion projects aim to receive LEED Gold accreditation, one of the highest international standards for energy-efficient buildings. The airport currently holds Level 3+ Carbon Neutral accreditation in the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) program. A 4 MW solar power plant will also be installed in the first phase of the investment, contributing to environmental sustainability.
Record Passenger Numbers in 2024
Antalya Airport reached the highest passenger traffic in its history by serving a total of 2024 airlines flying to 52 different destinations (229 international and 214 domestic) in 15 countries in 105. Last year, it hosted 31,7 million international and 6,6 million domestic passengers.
Long Term Financing Provided
TAV Airports and Fraport have been jointly operating Antalya Airport since 2018. With the agreement made in December 2021, the partnership operation period was extended until the end of 2051. A total rental fee of 2026 billion euros + VAT will be paid for the 25-year period starting in December 7,25. One-fourth of the total concession fee was paid in advance to the State Airports Authority (DHMI). The joint venture also recently reached an agreement with banks and credit institutions for a long-term project financing facility. This strong financing structure will provide significant momentum to the future growth and development of Antalya Airport.
