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Frankfurt Airport Opens €4 Billion Terminal 3, First Flights Start Thursday

The rollout signals a long-term bet on growth with Terminal 2 now shut for years of renovation.

Overview

  • Terminal 3 held a ceremonial opening Wednesday, with scheduled passenger service beginning Thursday after roughly a decade of construction.
  • Fraport published a four‑wave airline move from Terminal 2 to the new building, starting April 23 and continuing May 5, May 19 and June 9, while Lufthansa and Star Alliance stay in Terminal 1 and Condor shifts in 2027.
  • The complex is built for about 19 million travelers a year, expandable to 25 million, and the final bill is roughly €4 billion, up from an initial €2.5–3 billion plan.
  • Passengers get CT security scanners that let laptops and liquids stay in bags, automated bag drop, and a new Skyline shuttle from Terminal 1 because the new terminal lacks a direct S‑Bahn stop.
  • Fraport says Terminal 2 will remain closed into the middle of the next decade, and the project drew sharp criticism from citizen and climate groups even as national and regional leaders praised it as a key link for jobs and global connectivity.