Belfast City Airport has published a draft Master Plan 2040 proposing a major extension, including a longer terminal, expanded airfield facilities and improved surface access, along with a hotel and more EV charging. The plan would make the airport the island of Ireland’s first to be connected by rail, with a proposed rail halt linking the airport to Belfast city centre on the Bangor line, subject to a feasibility study with Translink.

Officials say the expansion would double the airport’s workforce to more than 2,200 and support its apprenticeship academy and community engagement programmes while accelerating sustainability aims, including progress toward net zero. The plan is forecast to unlock up to £200 million in private investment (€234.0 million) and could inject about £1.7 billion (€2.0 billion) into the Northern Ireland economy each year. Projections for demand across the island suggest passenger numbers could reach around 90 million annually by 2040, with Belfast City Airport needing to handle about seven million to maintain connectivity with the UK and Europe. The draft also asks for views on raising the annual cap on aircraft movements from 48,000 to 61,000. Matthew Hall, the airport’s chief executive, described the plan as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to benefit passengers and businesses, and said the economic benefits from delivering the Master Plan would be significant.

Separately, the airport has entered a pioneering public-private partnership with Translink to study a rail halt linking the airport with Belfast city centre on the Bangor line. The Master Plan states growth would be accommodated within the current noise contour limit, with limited flexibility in the evenings to allow some extra scheduled flights after 9.30pm but not beyond the 11.59pm limit for delayed flights. The draft Master Plan is open for public consultation until 11 November 2025, with the full document available at belfastcityairport.com/vision, and feedback will be considered before publication of a final plan early next year.