Tallinn Airport to Get Major Expansion

Text Stewart Johnson
Photo Toolbox Estonia / Sven Začek

Estonia’s largest airport, Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport officially, will receive a substantial investment of at least €75 for upgrading its capacity in almost all ways. With a due date of 2030, the airport’s passenger capacity is set to double. Baggage pickup and drop-off will also become much more spacious. Additionally, there will be extra parking between the tram stop and the passenger terminal.

October of this year saw the second-busiest month in the airport’s history, and it is not unexpected that the airport has increased its fees by as much as 70% in the past year. This has resulted in one major carrier, Ryanair, cutting back its flights servicing Tallinn. Still, the airport remains highly profitable, and according to the CCO of Tallinn Airport, highly competitive with other major airports in the European Union. A large chunk of the funding for the expansion and upgrades will come from the airport’s own profits.

In order to minimise disruptions, the construction will be carried out in four phases, with the first phase starting in the final days of 2025—later this month. This phase will primarily focus on expanding the zone for self-service terminals, and upgrading them. The most construction-intensive phase is set for 2027–2028, which will include the baggage areas and parking.

The current iconic airport terminal building was built in 1980 for the Moscow Olympics. After Estonia regained its independence, President Lennar Meri, whom the airport was later named for, gave his famous “toilet press conference” in the airport’s restrooms to draw attention to the poor state of the airport. The entire airport was subsequently renovated as a result.

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