Highlights of Terminal 3 - Frankfurt Airport

Construction site or art gallery?

Stunning architecture makes for impressive images. Architectural photos show why the new Terminal 3 is so special: its exceptional building features come together in a fascinating overall ensemble.

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Facts & Figures

The new Terminal 3 at Frankfurt Airport covers an area the size of 25 soccer fields, and will therefore have room to handle 25 million passengers a year once it is fully completed. And there are many other amazing statistics and figures on the long-term expansion project with which Frankfurt Airport is preparing to face the future.

More fascinating facts

Modular Planning, Flexibly Implemented

The planning work for expanding Frankfurt Airport began many years ago. From the start, attention focused on ensuring a modular approach. The unforeseen developments in connection with the covid-19 pandemic, with passenger volumes plummeting from a record high in 2019 to unprecedented lows, have underscored the importance of this approach.

More on the flexible approach to building Terminal 3

The Long Path to the Goal

Fraport AG initiated talks on expanding the airport back in the 1990s. A two-year mediation process was required to define the general terms for the planned project. Finally, in 2000, the green light was given to start work. In an architectural competition, Foster and Partners based in London beat its rivals with a concept for the new terminal. This then served as the basis for a second contest to choose a design for actually implementing the new terminal, which was won by Frankfurt-based architect Christoph Mäckler.

More about the long and winding path to the new terminal

Up to 100 check-in and luggage drop-off counters make sure that passengers start their trips smoothly. Source: Fraport AG / © Christoph Mäckler Architekten

The futuristically designed marketplace spanning about 6,000 square meters features a wide range of shops, cafés, and restaurants for passengers to enjoy before boarding. Source: www.moka-studio.com

You can dine in style in one of many restaurants serving a variety of international cuisines and watch people from around the world come and go before proceeding to the gate. Source: Fraport AG / © Christoph Mäckler Architekten

All passenger areas are designed for maximum accessibility and can also be reached in electric carts. Moving walkways that are also suitable for luggage carts get you quickly and comfortably to your gate. Source: Fraport AG / © Christoph Mäckler Architekten

The new terminal is equipped with up to 15 baggage carousels so passengers won’t have to wait long for their luggage after arriving. Source: Fraport AG / © Christoph Mäckler Architekten

Full of restaurants, bistros, shops, and an information counter, the arrivals hall on the ground floor is a great place to recharge for the onward journey. Source: Fraport AG / © Christoph Mäckler Architekten

A Great Place for Transfer Passengers to Shorten Their Wait

Modern with a feel-good ambiance: that’s the credo of Terminal 3. In architect Christoph Mäckler’s design, piers, gates, and lounges emulate the streets and squares of a city. The aim was to create not a sober, utilitarian transfer facility, but a lively urban environment with all of its amenities. Light-flooded areas featuring warm natural hues evoke a pleasant atmosphere in which people enjoy spending time.

Smart Connections

One special challenge that had to be met was the distance between the new Terminal 3 and the other terminals and the train stations in the north of the airport. The two areas are several hundred meters apart as the crow flies and also separated by two runways. To let travelers comfortable and speedily get to and from Terminal 3 despite this, a new Sky Line people mover is being built. When completed, it will take only eight minutes to travel between Terminals 1 and 3. The nearby Zeppelinheim interchange on the A5 motorway is also being enlarged to allow direct vehicular access to the new terminal.

Sustainable for the Future

Sustainability has been a central theme for Terminal 3 since the earliest planning stages. Fraport AG is committed to ensuring that it supports the company’s climate protection goals. These include reducing the company’s own CO₂ emissions at Frankfurt Airport to no more than 80,000 tonnes a year by 2030 – that represents a 65% reduction from 1990 levels. Energy-optimized construction has already made a difference, and once Terminal 3 has been completed and begins operating its high standard of energy efficiency will make a major contribution to attaining this target. It will consume significantly less energy than Terminals 1 and 2.

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Highlights of Terminal 3 Terminal 3 at a Glance