Lithuanian Airports has signed a contract with Zaha Hadid Architects to design a new arrival terminal at Vilnius Airport, with construction planned to begin in 2027 and the terminal expected to open by the end of 2028.
The first phase of design work, valued at €5.74 million, will focus on creating a spacious, modern baggage claim area, a passenger arrival hall, access roads to the new terminal section, and upgraded public spaces. Selection of a contractor for the construction phase is planned for the first half of 2027.
The total cost of the terminal, including design, equipment, and infrastructure modifications, is expected to reach up to €60 million.
“This marks a fundamental transformation for Lithuania. The airport arrival terminal is our country’s calling card. We want visitors to be greeted by Lithuania as it is today: modern, contemporary, and rapidly growing,” Transport Minister Juras Taminskas said Tuesday at the signing event.
Ludovico Lombardi, head of Zaha Hadid Architects, said integrating the new terminal with existing airport infrastructure is one of the project’s biggest challenges.
“Expanding capacity at an operating airport requires precise coordination with existing structures and systems. It’s an architectural dialogue, connecting the unique design of the new terminal with the existing infrastructure, to ensure effective and sustainable growth that meets future needs and rising travel demand,” Lombardi said.
The new terminal will cover more than 12,500 square metres, including roughly 2,500 square metres of passenger service areas, baggage claim halls, information centres, waiting areas, and retail and café spaces. An additional 2,100 square metres will be dedicated to office space for airport staff.
A new public space of approximately 2,500 square metres will be created in front of the terminal, along with a redesigned traffic system for arriving and departing passengers.
During the first phase, the current air navigation tower will remain in use until the new terminal infrastructure is fully integrated. Once the new terminal is complete, the existing arrival terminal will be decommissioned, though its future use remains undecided. Proposals include retail, cafés, an aviation museum, creative spaces, or conference facilities. Demolition is a possibility, but heritage authorities oppose it because the building is listed in the Cultural Heritage Register.
Airport officials say the current arrival terminal no longer meets growing passenger demand, and its columns obstruct security monitoring and operational efficiency.
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