Hong Kong International Airport’s Terminal 2 will begin operating passenger departure facilities on May 27, 2026, according to an announcement made on February 17 by Fred Lam, Chairman of Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), and Mable Chan, Secretary for Transport, and Logistics.
The reopening of T2’s departure facilities marks a significant step in the airport’s capacity expansion, timed to accommodate the anticipated increase in passenger traffic during the summer peak season. The facilities will initially serve approximately 15 airlines, primarily those operating short-haul and regional routes, with airlines transitioning to the terminal in phases.
The expanded Terminal 2 is physically connected to both the Airport Express platform and Terminal 1, offering passengers a new generation of smart check-in facilities, including over 50 automated bag-drop counters and biometric boarding gates. AAHK anticipates the new terminal will be able to process 3,000 passengers per hour, streamlining security screening and reducing kerb-to-gate times.
The Coach Hall at Terminal 2 commenced operations on September 23, 2025, as the first phase of the new terminal’s launch, providing 41 parking bays for tour buses, cross-boundary coaches, limousines, and crew transport, as well as ticketing counters for connections to over 110 destinations in the Greater Bay Area.
The opening of the departure facilities is a key milestone in the HKIA’s HK$141 billion Three-Runway-System expansion project, which aims to increase the airport’s handling capacity to 120 million passengers annually by 2035. AAHK has been collaborating with government departments, airlines, and passenger handling agents to prepare for the commissioning of T2, conducting familiarization activities, training sessions, and drills.
VisaHQ reported that the announcement was made during Chinese New Year celebrations at the airport, framing the reopening as the first major capacity boost since the pandemic. The firm also noted that companies should review visa and travel-document policies for staff operating within the revamped facilities.
