Hong Kong International Airport opens its expanded Terminal 2 today, marking the hub’s biggest capacity boost in more than a decade just ahead of the summer travel peak.

The rebuilt T2 is a departures terminal, with arrivals for all flights continuing to be handled in Terminal 1 for the time being. It is part of the airport’s HK$141.5 billion Three‑Runway System project and has been closed since 2019 for expansion and redevelopment.

Airport Authority Hong Kong says the new departure facilities are expected to handle around 8 million passenger trips in the first year, easing congestion in T1 as traffic rebounds toward pre‑pandemic levels. Ultimately, T2 is designed to cater for up to 30 million travellers annually as more phases come online.

Billed as a smart terminal, T2 features more than 100 self‑service kiosks, extensive self-bag‑drop, facial‑recognition e‑gates at security and boarding, and 24 automated security lanes aimed at cutting processing times by up to 30 per cent. 

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After check‑in and departure formalities, passengers will continue to use the driverless people mover to reach boarding gates in T1 until T2’s own airside concourse opens in the next stage of the expansion.

From today, 15 airlines – mainly operating regional and low‑cost routes – will begin shifting their check‑in counters from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 in phases. The three home‑based carriers HK Express, Hong Kong Airlines and Greater Bay Airlines are among those moving, with the relocation scheduled to be completed by 10 June, just before the school holidays.

Officials say the two terminals will “complement each other,” with T1 remaining the primary hub for long‑haul and full‑service flights, while T2 focuses on short‑haul and regional traffic. The opening follows a full‑scale operational rehearsal earlier this month involving around 1,100 participants to test self‑bag‑drop, e‑security and immigration systems.

Transport planners and airlines see the revamped T2 as central to restoring Hong Kong’s status as a leading regional aviation hub, supporting both business and leisure flows across the Greater Bay Area and wider Asia.