Major Gateway Hub Airport Planned for Kunming

Currently, 10 test locations for the new Kunming airport have begun with ground preparation and earthwork. After the project is completed, Kunming will be the 4th largest gateway hub in the nation after Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai. The new Kunming airport location is in the northeast of Kunming, 24.5 km from the center of the city. The total investment is 23.087 billion Yuan, with a new terminal designed to meet passenger turnover of 38 million in 2020 once the airport is completed. Special equipment and common public facilities will be constructed according to the demands of 2015. The new terminal is 548,300 sq km, with 68 of the total 84 parking bays being close-parking bays, which means that most of the passengers will have no need for a shuttle bus. It is reported that the new Kunming airport is positioning as a gateway hub for China to enter Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the countries connected to Europe and Asia. It is the only main gateway hub airport approved for construction during the “11th Five-Year Plan.” The airport is also marked as one of the 20 keystone project of the Yunnan province.