- Airlines back €8.2bn Paris airports expansion plan
- Project aims to add capacity for 18m passengers annually
- Focus on resolving bottlenecks without massive new terminals
- Airport charges capped at CPI plus 2.1 percentage points
- Investment structure enters force on 1 January 2027
Major airlines have formally backed a €8.2bn ($9.5bn) expansion and modernisation plan for Paris airports. The agreement, advanced by airport operator Groupe ADP and the French government, outlines a comprehensive layout to upgrade infrastructure between 2027 and 2034 without constructing massive new terminals. The project aims to add capacity for 18m additional passengers per year across Paris hubs by 2035, pushing Paris Charles de Gaulle toward an annual capacity of nearly 90m passengers.
Rather than reviving the massive Terminal 4 project cancelled in 2021, the multi-year layout focuses on resolving structural bottlenecks. Key infrastructure items include extending CDG’s automated internal rail system, building new boarding facilities at Paris Orly, redesigning terminal access and streamlining congested border control and baggage systems. To maintain airline support, airport charges will be capped relative to the Consumer Price Index at CPI plus 2.1 percentage points on average to protect carriers from abrupt cost hikes.
The plan is undergoing formal advisory reviews before being sent to France’s independent Transport Regulatory Authority for a final binding opinion later this autumn. The entire investment structure is scheduled to officially enter into force on 1 January 2027.
