Incheon Int'l Airport to overhaul Terminal 1 by 2035

Incheon International Airport in South Korea plans to completely revamp its aging Terminal 1 by 2035, with a budget exceeding 1.77 trillion won (US$129 billion), according to the airport operator Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC). The extensive renovation will focus on replacing outdated mechanical, electrical, telecommunication, and firefighting systems installed 25 years ago to comply with current safety regulations.

A significant upgrade will be the transformation of the baggage handling system (BHS) from selective screening to a comprehensive 100 percent screening system. Cho Sung-mi, head of IIAC's corporate strategy team, revealed the design completion by September next year and the start of construction in 2028 during a press briefing in Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport.

IIAC intends to draw inspiration from Schiphol Airport's 16 trillion-won comprehensive redesign, which is currently underway due to space constraints at its European hub. The renovation will also unify the terminal's six departure and arrival halls into a single system, reorganize its duty-free and commercial areas for enhanced passenger flow.

To ensure uninterrupted operations, the renovation will be divided into at least three sequential construction zones. The IIAC is also exploring the possibility of constructing a temporary replacement terminal on spare land to facilitate a full-scale simultaneous overhaul of Terminal 1. Upon completion, the renovated Terminal 1 is expected to handle up to 64 million passengers annually, up from the current 54 million.