Beijing’s $12 billion airport
Beijing has unveiled a $12 billion airport set to be the biggest in the world — here’s the first look
By Danielle Muoio From Business Insider
Beijing is preparing to a new airport that’s set to become the world’s largest.
The Beijing Daxing Airport is being built 42 miles south of the Chinese capital. It’s a looming steel infrastructure meant to relieve pressure on Beijing’s existing airport, which opened a new terminal in 2008 ahead of the Olympic Games, according to Reuters.
Beijing broke ground on the project in 2014 under President Xi Jinping.
Thomson Reuters
The Daxing Airport is 42 miles south of Beijing and will be accessible by expressway and high-speed train. Technically, it’s located in the Hebei province, but its proximity to the capital should relieve some stress from Beijing Capital International Airport.
The inner view of the terminal hall of new Daxing Airport constructed on the outskirts of Beijing.Thomson Reuters
The Beijing Capital International Airport is already bigger than most. It had the second-highest total passenger traffic in 2016, falling just short of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport’s passenger tally.
Arch Daily
Source: Business Insider
Hartsfield-Jackson is the busiest airport in the world, averaging 275,000 passengers a day. The terminal complex measures 6.8 million square feet.
REUTERS/Tami Chappell
Source: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Daxing could challenge Atlanta’s passenger traffic. It expects to initially serve 45 million passengers annually, but it could eventually support 100 million passengers a year.
Thomson Reuters
The airport will span 18 square miles, including runways. It required 57,000 tons of steel to construct.
Thomson Reuters
It cost roughly $12 billion to build.
Thomson Reuters
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Two of China’s three major airlines will use the airport, which will account for most of the airport’s total traffic. China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines will fly in and out of Daxing once it opens.
REUTERS/Jon Woo
The airport is scheduled to open in 2019.
Thomson Reuters
