Top 10 Most Expensive Airports to Build Globally

Heathrow Airport, also known as Heathrow, is an international airport located in London, and was the third busiest airport in the world in 2005, following Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta and Chicago O'Hare Airports. However, Heathrow serves more international passengers than any other airport. It is the busiest airport in the UK and the largest in Europe, situated 24 km west of central London at Charing Cross. The airport has two main parallel runways running east to west and five passenger terminals. Terminal 5, the newest terminal, was built with plans to rebuild and expand other terminals. In 2005, Heathrow served 67.7 million passengers, and plans are in place to build a third runway. Once Terminal 5 and the third runway are completed, the airport's designed capacity will reach 115 million passengers per year.

When visiting beautiful England, travelers often look forward to discovering famous landmarks, with Heathrow International Airport, the largest airport in the UK, being the first stop to explore London's iconic attractions. Known for being one of the busiest airports globally, Heathrow continues to demonstrate its importance to London's tourism industry, as well as to the UK's overall development, with its top-tier services and modern infrastructure. Opened in 1929, Heathrow is among the world's largest airports. Terminal 5, which began operations in 2008, incurred the highest construction costs. The airport is also planning to invest an additional $1.6 billion over the next decade to upgrade Terminal 3. Heathrow generates about $16 billion in revenue annually.

Beijing Capital International Airport serves as the main international gateway for Beijing. The airport’s upgrade project, costing 500 million euros (625 million USD), was funded through a loan from the European Development Bank. It is the busiest airport in China, experiencing double-digit growth in passenger traffic since 2003. In terms of aircraft operations, it ranks as the busiest in Asia, surpassing Tokyo International Airport. In passenger traffic, it was the second busiest airport in Asia and the 14th in the world in 2005, handling 33,143,003 passengers, surpassing Hong Kong International Airport. By 2009, the airport served 488,495 flights and 65,329,851 passengers. In 2010, it accommodated 73.8 million passengers, becoming the largest airport in China by passenger traffic. By 2013, it reached 83.7 million passengers, making it the second busiest airport globally, behind Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the USA (with 89.3 million passengers). The airport is located 20 km northeast of downtown Beijing. In 2015, it recorded more than 89.9 million passengers, ranking second worldwide after Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta.

Beijing Capital International Airport opened on March 2, 1958. Initially, it had a small terminal, which still exists today, used for VIP and charter flights. On January 1, 1980, a larger terminal was built and inaugurated, offering parking spaces for 10 to 12 aircraft. However, by the 1990s, this terminal became too small, and a new terminal was constructed. In 1999, the airport was expanded once more to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, with a new terminal opening on November 11, named Terminal 2. On September 20, 2004, Terminal 1 was opened, serving a few airlines, including both domestic and international flights of China Southern Airlines. In 2007, a third runway was introduced to alleviate congestion on the two existing runways.

Dubai International Airport is the primary international airport serving Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is the busiest airport in the world in terms of international passenger traffic. A major hub for Emirates Airlines, it ranks as the third busiest airport globally and is the sixth busiest for cargo operations. Dubai International is the leading airport for Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 flights and stands out as the busiest airport operating with only two runways. In 2007, the airport served 34.35 million passengers, ranking 27th globally in terms of busiest airports. By July 2010, more than 6,000 weekly flights were operated by 130 airlines to over 215 destinations across all continents, excluding Antarctica. In 2017, Dubai International handled 88 million passengers, 2.65 million tons of cargo, and 409,493 aircraft movements. The airport is set to face competition from the upcoming Al Maktoum International Airport, currently under construction in Dubai, which will span 140 km². In 2011, Dubai International served 50.98 million passengers, and by 2014, that number grew to 70.4 million.

Dubai International Airport is located in the Al Garhoud area, just 4.6 km east of Dubai’s city center, and covers an area of 1,200 hectares. Its Terminal 3 is the world’s second-largest building by floor space and the largest airport terminal in the world. Managed by Dubai Airports Company, it is the hub for Dubai's national carriers, Emirates and flydubai. Emirates' hub is the largest aviation center in the Middle East, handling 51% of the airport's passengers and 42% of its aircraft. Flydubai, a low-cost airline, also operates from Dubai International, managing 13% of passenger traffic and 25% of flights. The airport has a capacity of 90 million passengers annually. By January 2016, over 7,700 weekly flights were operated by 140 airlines to more than 270 destinations worldwide, excluding Antarctica.

Berlin Brandenburg International Airport is a new airport currently under construction in Germany. Once completed, it will become the most modern airport in Europe, incorporating some infrastructure from the existing Berlin-Schönefeld Airport (Flughafen Berlin Schönefeld), located near Berlin. The project was initially expected to finish in 2011. The new Berlin Brandenburg Airport will replace three airports in Berlin, with Berlin-Tempelhof closing in 2008, and Berlin Tegel to follow suit. The terminal infrastructure at Berlin-Schönefeld will be closed, and some of its facilities will be integrated into the expansion area of the new airport to the south. The new airport will use the current southern runway, which will later be renamed the northern runway. Due to noise regulations, flights between midnight and 5 a.m. will be prohibited. The total cost of the new airport is estimated at €2.5 billion. In its initial phase, the airport will have a designed capacity of 30 to 50 million passengers per year, covering an area of 1,470 hectares.

The primary reason for the construction of this new airport is to meet the increasing demand in the Berlin-Brandenburg region, as the existing three airports were already operating beyond their designed capacity. The spatial planning resolution for the airport was drafted on August 13, 2003. By 2007, the three airports in Berlin had served a total of 20 million passengers. Tegel Airport, designed for only 9.5 million passengers, handled 13 million passengers in 2007. The initial phase of the new airport was scheduled for completion by the end of 2011 with a capacity of 30 million passengers annually. Additional terminals have been planned to bring the total capacity to 50 million passengers per year. The construction plans faced several obstacles, including opposition from local residents, who filed lawsuits against the airport project. However, on March 16, 2006, the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig granted approval for the construction under certain conditions, allowing work to officially begin on September 5, 2006. Construction is still ongoing.

Denver International Airport, commonly known as DIA, is the largest airport in the United States and the second largest in the world, after King Fahd International Airport. Located to the northwest of Denver, Colorado, it spans 53 square miles (137.26 km²). In 2005, it served 43,387,513 passengers, ranking as the 11th busiest airport globally. That year, it was also voted North America's best airport by readers of Business Traveler Magazine. By 2008, Denver International Airport had become the 9th largest commercial airport worldwide, handling 51,245,334 passengers, and was ranked 5th globally for aircraft movements with 625,884 takeoffs and landings.

Denver International Airport is located further from downtown than the airport it replaced, Stapleton International Airport. The airport began operations in 1995, and its construction, expansion, and upgrades cost a total of $4.8 billion. Today, the airport boasts 6 runways and covers a massive area of 14,210 hectares. Further expansion and improvements are planned, with an additional $500 million earmarked for future development of the facility.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport is the largest airport in Malaysia and one of the busiest in Asia. With a construction cost of $ billion, it officially opened on June 27, 1998. The airport was designed by Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa and is located 50 km from Kuala Lumpur's city center. In 2009, the airport handled 29.6 million passengers, which was below the projected 35 million. The airport features a 130-meter-high air traffic control tower, the second tallest in Asia (just behind Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport). It has two wide 60-meter runways that are over 4,000 meters long, allowing it to handle up to 120 flights per hour.

The airport is planned to eventually have four runways. The second phase of its terminal expansion is designed to accommodate 35 million passengers annually, with projections to reach 45 million passengers per year between 2008 and 2012. Kuala Lumpur International Airport serves as a hub for Malaysia Airlines and is also a terminal for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore route operated by both Malaysia Airlines and Singapore Airlines. It is the largest airport in Malaysia and one of the busiest in Asia. Located at 64000 Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia, the airport is approximately 60 km from downtown Kuala Lumpur.

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport serves as the primary airport for the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area in Texas, USA. It is one of the busiest international airports in the world, located between Dallas and Fort Worth. In terms of aircraft movements, it ranks as the third-busiest airport globally. For passenger traffic, it ranked seventh in the world in 2007, with 59,784,876 passengers. This airport is the largest in Texas, the second-largest in the U.S., and the fourth-largest globally, covering an area larger than Manhattan. It is the 10th-largest international gateway in the U.S., after Honolulu International Airport in Hawaii. Recently, it earned the title of 'Best Cargo Airport in the World' according to a survey by Wayback Machine.

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is the largest hub for American Airlines, with 800 flights departing daily. American Airlines is the world's largest airline, and the airport is also the primary hub for its regional affiliate, American Eagle. Approximately 84% of flights at DFW are operated by American Airlines. Delta Air Lines ceased using the airport as a hub in February 2005, reducing its daily flights from 256 to 21. As of December 2018, DFW offers services to 244 destinations, including 62 international locations and 182 domestic points, making it one of the few airports worldwide with such an extensive reach.

Kansai International Airport is a major international airport located in Japan. It was constructed on an artificial island in Osaka Bay, off the coast of Honshu, approximately 38 kilometers southwest of Osaka Station, and lies between the cities of Izumisano, Sennan, and Tajiri in Osaka Prefecture. It is also known as Osaka Kansai Airport or Kankū. In 2004, the airport handled 102,862 flights, including 72,096 international and 30,766 domestic flights, serving a total of 15,340,975 passengers—11,162,533 international and 4,178,422 domestic. In the 1960s, as commercial activity in the Kansai region declined due to Tokyo's growing influence, planners proposed a new airport near Kobe and Osaka. The original Osaka Airport, located in the densely populated suburbs of Itami and Toyonaka, faced space constraints and frequent noise complaints from residents.

Kansai International Airport opened on September 4, 1994, alleviating congestion at Osaka International Airport, which then focused solely on domestic flights. Terminal 1, designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, is the longest terminal building in the world, spanning 1.7 kilometers (1.1 miles). The airport is connected to the mainland by a -kilometer bridge. Located in Osaka Prefecture, Kansai Airport is built on an artificial island. Its innovative design helped it withstand the devastating Kobe earthquake in 1995. The airport features a $1 billion bridge, and it is also known for offering some of the best food in the world.

Hong Kong International Airport, also known as Chek Lap Kok Airport, is the primary and only civilian airport in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. It ranks among the largest airports in Asia and globally, serving as a major gateway to East and Southeast Asia. Located on Chek Lap Kok Island, the airport was constructed by flattening a mountain and reclaiming land from the sea to expand its area. In 2005, the airport handled 40 million passengers and 3 million tons of cargo, with over 210,112 aircraft movements. For many years, passengers worldwide considered Hong Kong International as the 'Best Airport in the World' according to Skytrax, until it was overtaken by Singapore's Changi Airport in 2006.

Built at a cost of $20 billion over a span of six years, the airport was inaugurated in 1998 and covers an area of more than 12 square kilometers. Its current capacity is 45 million passengers and 3 million tons of cargo annually, with future plans to increase capacity to 87 million passengers and 9 million tons of international cargo. Hong Kong International Airport operates 24/7 and houses the world's largest passenger terminal, which opened in 1998. Managed by the Hong Kong International Airport Authority, the airport serves as a primary hub for Cathay Pacific, Cathay Dragon, Hong Kong Express Airways, Hong Kong Airlines, and Air Hong Kong. It is a key member of the Oneworld airline alliance and a major cargo hub in the Asia-Pacific region for UPS Airlines. The airport also serves as a destination for many international airlines, including China Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and Air India for long-haul flights.

Al Maktoum International Airport, also known as Dubai World Central, is an international airport located in Jebel Ali, south of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Previously known as "Jebel Ali International Airport", "Jebel Ali Airport City", and "Dubai World Central International Airport", it is a key component of Dubai World Central, a logistics, service, commercial, and residential complex. The airport is set to include transport, logistics, and value-added services such as manufacturing and assembly in a dedicated free zone. Spanning over 14,000 hectares, it is expected to handle up to 12 million tons of cargo and between 160 million to 260 million passengers annually. As of December 2014, only a few airlines operate passenger services from Al Maktoum International Airport. The airport's runway, measuring 4,500 meters by 60 meters, was completed in 600 days and later underwent testing for six to eight months to meet the international CAT III-C standards.

The airport’s cargo terminal, which cost about $75 million, was 50% complete by the end of 2008. In the first phase of the project, the airport was planned to handle about 200,000 tons of cargo annually, with the capacity to increase to 800,000 tons. The passenger terminal was designed for a capacity of 5 million passengers per year. By 2013, it was planned to be the world’s largest cargo airport, handling 12 million tons annually. Originally scheduled to open in 2017, the global financial crisis of 2007-2012 delayed the completion, and the final completion is now expected by 2027. The airport was named after the late Dubai ruler, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The total estimated cost of the airport is $82 billion, according to the Dubai government.