Construction of a new mega-terminal at Singapore’s Changi airport will begin in the first half of 2025, as the hub looks to grow the number of city links over the next 10 years.
Singapore prime minister Lawrence Wong says Changi’s Terminal 5 will be able to handle up to 50 million passengers annually – the airport’s current capacity is 90 million – when operational in the mid-2030s.
Wong, speaking at the 40th anniversary dinner of the Civil Aviation Administration of Singapore (CAAS) on 6 September, said his government is also looking to “further liberalise” air services agreements with the addition of Changi’s fifth terminal.
While Singapore is already connected to almost 150 cities, it is looking to expand the number of links to 200 by the mid-2030s.
“This will bring more passengers to Changi and Singapore, and create demand for the services of our broader aviation ecosystem,” Wong adds.
The prime minister also warns against “resting on our laurels”, adding that countries in the region “are narrowing the gap with Singapore”.
“Countries in our region and beyond are making significant investments to expand and improve their airport infrastructure, to capture more of this traffic,” says Wong, who also flagged challenges to Singapore’s status as an air hub in the region.
He adds: “[We] must continue to sharpen our competitive edge and develop new advantages to set us apart.”
Terminal 5 plans were first announced in 2013 amid a boom in travel demand, with planning beginning a year later.
The project was paused amid the Covid-19 pandemic, which also prompted a re-think of its design concept.
In August 2022, airport operator Changi Airport Group (CAG) released a preview of the new terminal, which it says will be “more modular” in design, and “drawing on lessons” from the pandemic.
CAG says the terminal has been designed “with the flexibility to operate as smaller sub-terminals when needed”, allowing for spaces to be converted for contingencies.
