Chennai Airport Transforms: New Terminal 5 Planned

Chennai Airport is poised for a significant transformation, with Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu revealing plans for expansion and improved passenger experience. A new Terminal 5 is currently in the planning stages, which, upon completion, could boost the airport's annual capacity to around 55 million passengers. This ambitious project is part of an ongoing modernization effort involving an investment of approximately ₹2,500 crore.

The current upgrades are expected to increase the airport's annual passenger-handling capacity from 20 million to 25 million. These developments are crucial given the airport's rising passenger traffic, which handled approximately 23 million passengers in 2025, a substantial increase from 13 million in 2013-14. The new terminals are anticipated to be completed by April 2027.

Beyond capacity, the focus is on passenger convenience. A new pick-up plaza has been inaugurated to ease access for arriving passengers. The airport is also adopting technology, with Digi Yatra registrations seeing a significant rise to 35%. Furthermore, QR codes will be implemented to gather passenger feedback, ensuring they are considered key stakeholders in the airport's evolution.