Asia-Pacific, Middle East airports to see $240B infrastructure boost: ACI

Airports in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions are set for a major infrastructure upgrade, with a total investment of US$240 billion, as reported by the Airports Council International Asia-Pacific & Middle East (ACI APAC & MID).

Out of this, $136 billion will be designated for Brownfield Development, which involves updating and expanding current airports, whereas $104 billion will be directed to Greenfield Development, referring to the building of new airports.

This investment highlights the regions’ strategic emphasis on meeting the increasing need for air travel and cargo capacity.

The Brownfield Development investment seeks to increase capacity for an additional 680 million passengers and 14 million tonnes of cargo, whereas the Greenfield Development will enable new infrastructure designed to accommodate 562 million passengers and 57 million tonnes of cargo.

SGK Kishore, President of ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East, stated, “The $240 billion investment is not just about creating concrete and runways, it’s about socio-economic development in the region.”

This joint investment will establish extra capacity intended to serve 1.24 billion passengers—equivalent to over 13 airports the size of Dubai International Airport, the busiest airport globally for international travelers. The 71 million tonnes of cargo capacity is almost 14 times the cargo volume handled by Hong Kong International Airport, which is the highest-ranked cargo airport globally.

This notable rise will guarantee that airports in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions are adequately prepared to manage expected future expansion.

Stefano Baronci, Director General of ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East, stated, “The investment will create additional capacity in the medium-to-long-term.”