Shanghai’s fourth-phase airport expansion is gathering pace after officials on 23 July unveiled design specifics for Terminal 3, scheduled to open by the end of 2028. The standalone facility will raise Pudong International Airport’s capacity from 80 million to 130 million passengers a year, with T3 alone engineered for 50 million. Key features include split domestic-international halls connected by a central multimodal hub, swappable contact stands for flexible fleet mixes, and end-to-end biometric processing that promises door-to-gate times of under 40 minutes. A satellite baggage-handling system will use autonomous vehicles and AI routing to cut mis-sorts by 60 %, according to Shanghai Airport Authority president Zhou Hao. For mobility professionals the expanded throughput will translate into more prime-time slot availability and lower risk of costly diversions during weather events. The project also reserves acreage for a dedicated business-aviation apron and crew-rest complex, potentially simplifying rotations for corporate shuttle operations. Construction started in 2022 and remains on schedule despite supply-chain headwinds. Airlines planning network growth into China’s Yangtze River Delta can begin slot-application forecasting now, as initial coordination rounds are expected to open to carriers in Q3 2027.
Source: City News Service Shanghai
