Lithuanian Airports (LTOU) has announced the completion of a new departure terminal at Vilnius Airport (VNO), a project that began in 2023.
The new terminal is set to open in February 2025, Vilnius Airport representatives announced in a press release. Final work will focus on installing and testing the equipment inside the terminal before it opens.
The terminal was originally set to open to passengers in summer 2024. However, due to rising construction costs, the project had to be put out for bid again.
“We completed the construction work about a few weeks ahead of schedule,” said Simonas Bartkus, Chief Executive Officer of Lithuanian Airports. “Perhaps the most important goal for the coming period is to prepare all the new systems for the loads that the new terminal will face under realistic operating conditions.”
According to local media reports, the total value of the project is expected to be €70 million, of which approximately €20 million will be spent on terminal equipment.
The new terminal is located between the VIP terminal, used by private travelers like the country’s president, and the old passenger terminal. The new 14,400 square meter terminal will increase the total area of Vilnius Airport’s passenger terminals by one-third. Passenger traffic capacity is expected to double from 1,200 to 2,400 passengers per hour.
The departure terminal will feature 34 check-in counters and include CT scanners that use hand luggage X-ray technology. This will speed up security checks, meaning that electronic devices can stay in backpacks during inspections. The area will also feature a self-service baggage claim area on the first floor.
The new terminal links to the existing passenger terminal via a spacious gallery, making it easy for passengers to move around. Some travelers will also be able to board flights directly from the gallery.
The new terminal at Vilnius Airport was constructed along with changes to the transport routes in front of it, with upgraded engineering networks, new road surfaces, parking areas, and more efficient transport layout.
Once testing of the departure terminal is completed and it opens to passengers, the next phase of reconstruction will begin, Bartkus said. This phase will involve redesigning and updating the old terminal areas and is set to start in mid-2025.
The upgrade to the old terminals will continue until the end of 2026. The new arrivals terminal will be planned and built, with the aim to have it running by the end of 2028.