Frankfurt Airport, Germany’s largest, has opened a new, third terminal. The first flight from the new terminal is expected today.
Terminal 3 will be able to handle up to 19 million passengers per year. The terminal features three new piers totaling 1,400 meters in length, at least 33 aircraft parking positions, 112 check-in counters, and a baggage system with up to 15 carousels.
Price tag of €4 billion
The first aircraft to use the new terminal will be those of Chinese airlines. A total of 57 airlines will operate out of T3, with the German carrier Condor and Lufthansa being the most prominent.
These airlines are currently still based in Terminal 2. They will move to T3 in four phases, between April and early June. After that, T2 will undergo renovation.
Operator Fraport invested approximately 4 billion euros in T3, significantly more than the original estimate of 2.5 to 3 billion euros. Construction began in October 2015 and was initially scheduled for completion in 2022, but the COVID-19 pandemic led to delays. The terminal can be expanded to accommodate up to 25 million passengers per year.
Parking structure for 8,500 vehicles
The main building covers approximately 176,000 m², roughly the area of 25 soccer fields. About 112,000 tons of steel were used for construction, or the amount needed for 15 Eiffel Towers. The new Sky Line provides transportation between T1 and T3, with a stop at T2. The trip takes 8 minutes. The Sky Line can carry up to 4,000 passengers per hour in each direction.
There is also a new parking structure that provides direct access to the terminal and has space for 8,500 vehicles, including charging stations for EVs. The dining areas cover 2,900 m² and offer a wide variety of options, from German bakeries to Italian restaurants, as well as a bar serving tapas and sushi.
“Growing Beetle” concept
The London-based firm Foster + Partners, the renowned practice of British architect Norman Foster known for iconic buildings such as the Reichstag in Berlin and Apple Park in California, won the architectural competition to design the terminal. The actual design and construction were carried out by Frankfurt-based architect Christoph Mäckler.
The design is based on the “Growing Beetle” concept. Like a beetle, the terminal is divided into clearly distinguishable parts: the spacious check-in hall as the “head”, the security building and the central marketplace as the “body”, and the piers as the “legs”. This functional separation makes orientation intuitive.
A striking feature is the fully glazed facade, which is 18 meters high, creating maximum openness and visual connection. A characteristic “bend” in the main facade is a technical solution designed to avoid radar reflections and prevent interference with the nearby air traffic control.
Up to 700,000 flights per year, but also environmental protests
In 2025, Frankfurt Airport handled approximately 63 million passengers and around 460,000 takeoffs and landings. With the new terminal, the airport will be able to handle up to 700,000 flights per year.
The construction of the third terminal also sparked protests due to its noise and environmental impact. Environmental organizations condemn the rise in CO2 emissions and noise pollution, as well as the increase in pollution caused by travel to and from the airport.
In this context, the Aircraft Noise Commission (FLK) also refers to a “serious breach of trust” between the airport and residents. Fraport and air traffic control provider DFS are working on a refined operational concept for when the airport reaches the limit of 110 flight movements per hour.
A key concern is that the northwestern departure routes will be used more frequently during peak periods, leading to more overflights for municipalities that are already heavily affected,something that had previously been explicitly promised would be avoided.
One piece of good news for residents is that night flights between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. are not permitted. This restriction also applies to Terminal 3.
