Passenger capacity overdrive: Welcome to the 100 million club

The levels of investment in airport infrastructure in Asia have never been higher – and the same is true of most regions.

According to 'Future of Airport: To 2030 and Beyond', global investment will grow by a CAGR of 14.4 percent over this decade and the next, jumping from 1.21 trillion in 2024, to 1.35 trillion in 2028 to 1.8 trillion in 2030 to 2.4 trillion in 2040.

Currently, the most expensive ongoing project is in Asia. The expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai will make it the biggest in the world by 2050. The first phase will see it increase its capacity from 66.1 to 130 million passengers by 2030 and then to 255 million upon completion.

Al Maktoum isn’t the only airport talking about nine-figure capacities. Airports in Rome, Addis Ababa, Denver, Manila, Hanoi, Al-Ahsa in Saudi Arabia, Kempegowda in India and Incheon in South Korea all have their sights set on handling 100 million passengers a year.

Across the world, airports are busy adding terminals, extending and strengthening runways, and improving passenger amenities and air traffic management.

Digitalisation and automation will be key to making airport processes more efficient.

Investors remain onboard despite growing spotlight on aviation's footprint

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Breaking down the passenger increase projections