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Airport Megaprojects: Can Airports Become An Extension of National Identity?

  • 13 Mar 2025
  • Text by Ilyssa Feng, NUS Aviation Cub. Edited by Estella Teh, AAIS

In contemporary times, airports have evolved beyond being merely a stopover on our way to a destination – no longer just a transit point in our journey. When countries and cities like Singapore, Qatar and the UAE began to prove that airports can be more than just liminal spaces of transit, it is possible for airports to become grand symbols of national identity and economic ambition.

From Changi Airport’s upcoming Terminal 5, to the colossal Istanbul Airport, cities and nations are investing billions of dollars into airport megaprojects that meld functionality with aesthetics. These modern aviation hubs can contribute to the first impression that the outside world gets of the country and city it represents. Increasingly, airports could become a metric for the world to judge a country, prompting international airports to blend cutting-edge infrastructure with cultural identity in order to project an image of strength, prosperity, and progress.

The rapid growth of global air travel, increased connectivity, and economic competition have spurred the rise of airport megaprojects. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the number of global air travellers is expected to increase by 4 billion within the next 20 years. In response, governments and private investors are funding next-generation airports in order to have the resilience and elasticity to accommodate to the massive increases in passenger traffic, while offering world-class services to travellers.

Some notable airport megaprojects in recent years include:

  • King Salman International Airport (Saudi Arabia) – Set to be completed in 2030, the new airport will boost capacity to accommodate up to 100 million passengers and process 2 million tonnes of cargo. This ambitious project is in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which seeks to diversify the economy and position the country as a global hub for travel and logistics.
  • Changi Airport (Singapore) – In the recent budget speech in February, the Singapore government announced an additional SGD$5 billion top up to the fund for airport expansion projects, including Changi’s Terminal 5. Scheduled for completion in the mid-2030s, the new Terminal 5 will have a capacity of 50 million passengers, expanding Changi’s overall capacity by more than 50 per cent.
  • Al Maktoum International Airport (UAE) – In 2024, US$34.85 billion (AED 128 billion) was funded for the construction of a new passenger terminal. Once completed in 2035, the airport will be five times larger than the existing Dubai International Airport, with a capacity of 260 million passengers per year. 

Airports today have also evolved into modern icons of a nation’s identity. They are no longer just functional spaces but could serve as powerful marketing tools, allowing countries to shape and project a narrative of innovation, wealth, global connectivity, and cultural heritage.

Skytrain at Jewel Changi Airport. Photo: Pexels

    For many Singaporeans, Changi Airport is a source of great pride as it is consistently ranked among the best in the world. With its futuristic architecture and greenery, it reflects the nation’s reputation for excellence, modernity, and Singapore’s identity as a ‘City in a Garden’. Today, national symbols and symbolism are increasingly being integrated into the designs of new airport infrastructure around the world, and this is not by chance. These elements transform airports into representations of national pride and soft power, subtly communicating to travelers, from the moment they arrive, exactly where they are in the world.

    Evidently, the rise of airport megaprojects is more than just about the growth of air travel. For countries, it represents their aspirations, influence, and identity; for cities, it signals their economic might and outward-looking, global leanings. It is nigh-impossible to name a global city without a massive airport. These architectural marvels can become powerful tools in shaping global perceptions, attracting investment, and reinforcing a nation or a city’s standing on the world stage. As air travel continues to grow and with each airport megaproject that pops up, the race for the most advanced, efficient, and visually stunning airports will likely intensify.

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