Tallinn Airport signed a contract for the passenger terminal expansion works

The expansion of Tallinn Airport’s passenger terminal is one of the largest investments in Estonia’s aviation infrastructure. The project aims to increase the terminal’s capacity, improve the passenger experience and enable the airport to serve up to five million passengers a year in the future.

Following the procurement procedure, a construction contract was signed with the joint bidders Tallinna Ehitustrust OÜ and Ehitustrust OÜ. The contract is worth approximately €66.6 million, and the construction works will take 31 months.

“Passenger numbers at Tallinn Airport are growing, and several areas of the passenger terminal have reached their capacity limits. The terminal was designed to serve 2.8 million passengers a year, but we are already serving nearly 3.8 million. The expansion will provide more space, reduce waiting times and improve service while preserving the comfortable and welcoming travel experience that Tallinn Airport is known for,” said Riivo Tuvike, Chairman of the Management Board of Tallinn Airport.

More space and new facilities for the passenger terminal

“This is a large and technically complex project, as the works will be carried out at an operational airport where both the passenger terminal and air traffic will continue to operate. The construction works must therefore be carefully divided into stages, with close cooperation between the airport and everyone involved in the project, to minimise disruption to passengers and the airport’s daily operations,” said Kaido Somelar, Chairman of the Management Boards of Tallinna Ehitustrust OÜ and Ehitustrust OÜ.

According to Somelar, the scale of the project also makes it unique: “We are not simply building a new section of the terminal. We will connect it to the existing building, which remains in daily use, while also renovating several existing areas. Between 2025 and 2029, approximately 16,500 square metres of new space will be added to the passenger terminal, and around 18,000 square metres of existing space will be renovated.”

As part of the expansion, a new section of the terminal will be built on the site of the car park between the passenger terminal and the public transport terminal. It will include a new baggage reclaim area, new baggage carousels, shops, restaurants and cafés, as well as two new boarding gates. The aircraft parking and servicing apron next to the terminal will also be expanded to serve the new gates.

The border control and gate areas will also be expanded to improve the handling of non-Schengen flights and reduce queues and crowding during peak hours. The existing retail and food and beverage areas will also be upgraded, providing passengers with more space and a wider range of services.

The passenger terminal will remain operational during construction

Preparatory works will begin in autumn 2026, with major construction works inside the terminal starting in early 2027. “The passenger terminal will remain open and air traffic will continue throughout the construction period, although passengers should be prepared for temporary changes and some inconvenience,” Tuvike added.

“The refurbishment of the passenger terminal began at the start of this year,” Tuvike said. “To expand the public area, which will be completed shortly, the terminal’s western façade was moved outwards and passenger flows were improved. The check-in area has also been upgraded, and new self-service check-in kiosks and bag drop machines have been introduced. These improvements are part of the wider terminal expansion, and passengers can already experience its first results.”

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