Warsaw Chopin Airport to undergo costly expansion despite planned closure in early 2030s

Warsaw Chopin Airport is set for a multimillion-euro expansion by 2029, even as its long-term future remains limited by plans to shift Poland’s main aviation traffic to a new mega hub later in the next decade.

Polish Airports (PPL), the state-owned operator of Chopin Airport, has launched a tender for the modernisation project, with applications open until February 2026. The works are scheduled to be contracted in April 2027 and completed by June 2029, at an estimated cost of between 940 million and 1.4 billion z?oty (€220–320 million).

The decision has sparked debate, as Poland’s new integrated air and rail hub, Port Polska—formerly known as the Central Communication Port (CPK)—is due to open in 2032, around 45 kilometres west of Warsaw. Once operational, it is expected to take over Chopin Airport’s role as the country’s primary aviation gateway.

Supporters of the upgrade argue that the investment is unavoidable. Chopin Airport is already approaching its practical capacity, estimated at around 24 million passengers annually. In early December, the airport surpassed 22 million passengers for the year, setting a new record and underlining mounting capacity constraints.

The modernisation plan includes expanding the passenger terminal, upgrading baggage handling systems, and adding aircraft stands and parking infrastructure. These improvements aim to raise annual capacity to around 30 million passengers, ensuring the airport can cope with demand during the transition period.

PPL has described the project as a “bridge solution” to maintain operational continuity until Port Polska becomes fully functional. Construction of the new mega hub, located near Baranów and designed to integrate high-speed rail, road links and long-haul aviation, is currently scheduled to begin in 2026.

While short-lived in strategic terms, the investment is intended to prevent capacity bottlenecks in Warsaw’s air traffic over the coming years, even as Poland prepares for one of the largest transport infrastructure shifts in its modern history.

Source: TVP World