Frankfurt Airport Terminal 3 New Build

From planning and construction through commissioning, Frankfurt Airport now has a brand-new terminal.

The Sky Line train takes approximately eight minutes to travel from Terminals 1 and 2 to Terminal 3 at Frankfurt Airport. Constructed over a ten-year period on a site equivalent to 25 football fields at the southern edge of the airport, Terminal 3 significantly increases the airport’s capacity and reinforces Frankfurt’s position as a major international aviation hub. In its current configuration, Terminal 3 can handle approximately 23 million passengers annually. In addition to the main terminal building, which features separate departure and arrival levels, the project includes three piers, an apron control tower, a parking garage with capacity for 8,500 vehicles, and several ancillary buildings.

The passenger processing systems are fully automated and state of the art, while the baggage handling system coordinates all processes and components, from check-in through to baggage claim.

The airport’s piers vary in size: Pier G: 9 aircraft stands, Pier H: 10 passenger boarding bridges, Pier J: 14 passenger boarding bridges

Our Full Commitment Beyond the Flight Path

We supported Frankfurt Ausbau Süd GmbH (Fraport AG) with project management services for approximately 18 years. In 2020, we expanded our support to include comprehensive construction management services. This integrated solution encompassed construction management, planning, tenant coordination, and commissioning management. At peak times, the airport expansion project involved: Up to 100 project managers, approximately 300 construction management experts, around 120 planners and designers, numerous specialists from a wide range of disciplines.

Given the projects scale and complexity, a distinctive feature of the project was the procurement of individual trade packages. The project team relied on digital project management solutions to monitor progress, coordinate stakeholders, and successfully guide the project to completion.

In September 2025, the project team secured official regulatory approval, clearing the way for flight operations to commence. On 23 April 2026, Terminal 3 was officially declared “Ready for Take-off.”

The construction of Terminal 3 is one of Drees & Sommer’s Top Projects. These are projects that we are especially proud of because they not only advanced our client’s objectives but also contribute significantly to our own development as a company.

Why Terminal 3 Is One of Our Top Projects:

• Scale: Terminal 3 is one of Europe’s largest infrastructure projects, with exceptional significance for Frankfurt, the Rhine-Main region, and beyond.
• Architectural Excellence: The terminals spaces offer a high-quality passenger experience while seamlessly combining functionality and aesthetics.
• Long-Term Collaboration: We worked closely with our client for more than 18 years.
• Shared Responsibility: Together with Fraport, as a decisive and forward-looking client, Drees & Sommer took responsibility for the project’s overall success. 

Added Value

• Major infrastructure project delivered on schedule, in line the required quality standards, and within the planned budget framework
• Significantly increased the airport’s overall passenger capacity
• Improved airport infrastructure
• Sustainable, certified planning approach

Our Services

• Program and project management
• Construction management, including construction supervision, planning, and tenant coordination
• Schedule planning and monitoring
• Project control
• Design quality management
• Architectural and building services engineering design
• Technical consulting for planning and construction management
• Commissioning and handover management
• Tenant coordination