Chopin Airport secures environmental approval

The Regional Director for Environmental Protection in Warsaw issued an environmental decision for the expansion of Chopin Airport on 22 July 2026. The decision is immediately enforceable. The project is intended to raise the airport’s annual capacity to 30 million passengers.

Decision takes immediate effect

Decision WOOŚ-II.420.34.2019.MP.47 covers the expansion and redevelopment of airport infrastructure in Warsaw. The authority set the environmental conditions for the project and granted the decision immediate enforceability.

This allows Polish Airports to proceed with the next stages of the investment process before the decision becomes final. The decision may still be appealed to the General Director for Environmental Protection.

Terminal and south pier expansion

The project includes an extension of the main terminal building and the south pier. A new terminal section is planned on the northern side of the existing building and will be connected to the current facilities.

The south pier is to be extended by about 315 metres. The plans include eight passenger boarding bridges, comprising seven new bridges and one relocated unit. The departures level will have eight dual-channel waiting areas with a total of 16 gates.

Capacity to rise to 30 million

According to the environmental decision, Chopin Airport will be able to handle 30 million passengers a year after the expansion. The document puts the current infrastructure capacity at about 21 million passengers.

The airport is expected to continue handling air traffic until at least 2032. The expansion is intended to reduce capacity constraints before traffic is transferred to the planned new airport.

More capacity for corporate traffic

For managed travel programmes, the main change will be the expansion of the terminal and passenger-handling infrastructure. The additional capacity is expected to support further flight operations at Chopin Airport before traffic moves to the new hub.

The decision does not specify when construction will begin or how passenger flows will be organised during the works. Those details will depend on the next stages of project preparation.