Smooth take-off for new Terminal 2 at Hong Kong International Airport

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 May 2026 – Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) embarked on a new era on 27 May, with the successful launch of the expanded Terminal 2 (T2), further boosting the city’s position as global aviation hub.

In 2025, HKIA handled 61 million passenger trips, representing a year-on-year growth of 15%. It has recently garnered several prestigious recognitions for its outstanding performance in areas including security processing, aviation infrastructure, passenger services, and continuous enhancement of passenger facilities.

HKIA was crowned “Best Airport in the World” at the Global Travel Awards 2026, and was voted “Best Airport in China” in the 2026 TTG China Travel Awards for the third year in a row.

Spanning 300,000 square metres, the new T2 is designed and equipped to serve both departing and arriving passengers. The departures hall of T2 features eight check-in aisles, with 68 express self-bag drop counters, 58 smart check-in kiosks and 108 hybrid check-in counters.

The Terminal 2 at Hong Kong International Airport commenced operations on 27 May, boosting the city's position as global aviation hub. — *The Terminal 2 at Hong Kong International Airport commenced operations on 27 May, boosting the city’s position as global aviation hub.*

Large LED displays are installed at different levels of T2, with 3D contents and ocean-themed videos creating a vibrant atmosphere. The food court at the departures hall serves passengers with eight catering outlets, four of which operate around the clock, while 12 shops offer a variety of products, including travel necessities and souvenirs.

Speaking at the opening ceremony on 22 May, Michael Wong, Acting Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, said, “The government will continue to adopt a multi-pronged approach to strengthen HKIA’s position as an international aviation hub, including accelerating the expansion of the aviation network, enhancing intermodal connectivity with the (Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao) Greater Bay Area, and advancing the development of the Airport City. In particular, we will proactively align with and work on the National 15th Five-Year Plan, and fully support Hong Kong’s role as an international aviation hub.”

Fred Lam, Chairman of Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), said the opening of T2 is another milestone of the airport’s development. “Positioned as a terminal for leisure travel, T2’s design prioritises efficiency and passenger comfort. We attend to every detail, leveraging technology extensively to enable efficient self-check in, self-bag drop and smooth immigration clearance,” he said.

Vivian Cheung, Chief Executive Officer of AAHK said the Authority was delighted to see the smooth relocation of airline partners to T2 and the positive passenger response to the new facilities.

“We have a lot of LED, animation, and new designs emphasising technology, and we have our in-house design for self-check in system, which only requires 45 seconds to go through the entire process. We want to help the airlines to migrate to a full-automation process, which will actually help passengers have better experiences and also reduce the labour needs,” she said.