Athens International Airport (AIA) has launched a tender to expand the main and satellite terminals, setting in motion the construction of new facilities and the reconfiguration of existing areas at Eleftherios Venizelos Airport.
The project includes the creation of approximately 26,000 sq m of new facilities, the reconfiguration of a further 1,000 sq m of existing space, and a range of works on aircraft-servicing infrastructure.
The contract includes, among other things, new boarding gates, commercial areas, additional aircraft parking stands and the construction of a permanent underground link between the two terminals.
According to the tender notice, the contract will be awarded under a Design and Build model, with the contractor responsible for all the required work, from design and construction to testing, operational readiness and handover of the new facilities.
Scope of the project
Most of the work concerns the expansion of the southern wing of the Main Terminal Building (MTB), where approximately 25,000 sq m of new facilities are planned.
These areas will include boarding gates with direct access to aircraft, gates serving passengers travelling by bus, commercial facilities, dedicated lounges for high-priority passengers (CIP lounges) and supporting infrastructure in the area.
The plan also includes an expansion of the Satellite Terminal Building (STB) to the west, adding approximately 950 sq m of new facilities. This work includes two new bus boarding gates, as well as converting the two existing gates into open passenger waiting areas for boarding by bus.
The project also includes the reconfiguration of approximately 1,000 sq m within the existing Main Terminal Building.
A significant part of the construction work concerns aircraft-servicing infrastructure. In particular, the plans include additional aircraft parking stands and the installation of six new passenger boarding bridges — four single and two double — as well as the rearrangement of an existing bridge.
The tender also covers the construction of a new permanent underground link between the Main and Satellite Terminal Buildings, which will allow the continuous movement of passengers, goods and waste both during the works and after their completion.
The plans also include the reconfiguration and reconstruction of taxiways, work on aircraft parking areas and related airport infrastructure, and changes to the airport’s internal road network.
All work will have to be carried out at a fully operational airport. The contract therefore also covers the scheduling of the various construction phases, the management of temporary facilities, and the measures needed to ensure the work is carried out safely and on time.
Requirements
As part of the tender, AIA has set specific financial and technical criteria for companies wishing to participate.
Prospective contractors must demonstrate that they have annual turnover of at least €120 million, based on audited financial statements for the 2025 financial year. They must also submit financial statements for 2023, 2024 and 2025 so that their financial position can be assessed.
They must also provide a bank certificate confirming available credit capacity of at least €50 million for the project, as well as a good record of servicing their debt obligations.
In terms of construction experience, applicants must have completed at least one infrastructure project in the past decade with a contract value of no less than €100 million.
The tender also requires the appointment of a lead design firm responsible for coordinating the design work as a whole. The firm must have experience as lead designer on at least one project to build a new terminal or expand an existing one during the past decade, which has been completed, substantially completed or reached the stage of issuing designs for construction.
Consortia of companies may also participate, subject to specific requirements governing the participation and financial capacity of their members. In particular, the lead member of a consortium must hold a stake of at least 40% and independently meet at least 40% of the required financial criteria.
The tender also stipulates that applicants, consortium members and the other entities specified in the participation requirements must have their registered office in a member state of the European Union or the European Economic Area.
Timetable and award
The process involves technical and financial evaluation of bids. To qualify for the financial evaluation, an applicant must score at least 70% of the maximum score in each of the three main technical criteria, covering the project team, implementation plans and construction timetable. The contract will be awarded to the technically acceptable applicant offering the lowest evaluated price.
The deadline for submitting bids is 26 February 2027, and the contract is expected to be awarded in April 2027.
The tender notice does not specify the project budget or the expected completion date for the construction work.
Revision of the investment plan
The new tender forms part of Athens International Airport’s revised plan to expand its facilities, with the aim of increasing capacity to handle 40 million passengers a year.
The decision to revise the plan took into account passenger traffic growth that was faster than originally forecast, the difficulties of carrying out extensive construction work while the airport remains operational, and the need to limit the impact on passenger services and commercial activity.
As part of this process, AIA discontinued the previous tender procedure using the Early Contractor Involvement model and opted to launch a separate tender for the first phase of the expansion.
The plan also calls for a new tender for the initial phase of the expansion of the north side of the Main Terminal Building in the second half of 2027, while alternative solutions are being considered that could allow capacity to be increased beyond 40 million passengers in the future.
Work already under way, including the new multi-storey car park, the north-western aircraft parking area and the new VIP terminal, is expected to be completed during 2027.
Under the revised plan, total capital expenditure to expand the airport’s capacity by the end of 2030 is estimated at €950 million, in 2026 prices.