Beijing Daxing International Airport

Beijing Daxing International Airport (IATA: PKX, ICAO: ZBAD) is one of two international airports serving Beijing, the capital of China, with the other being Beijing Capital International Airport. It is located on the border of Beijing and Langfang, Hebei. The airport is known for its unique starfish-shaped terminal. It began operations on September 26, 2019, after almost five years of construction.

The airport covers 2,679 hectares (6,620 acres). It has four runways and can serve the Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei region. It is 46 kilometers south of Beijing city centre and 65 kilometers south of Beijing Capital International Airport. The airport has the world's largest single-building terminal, spanning 700,000 m² (7,500,000 sq ft). It sits on 47 km² (18 sq mi) of land. It has received awards for hygiene and size from Airports Council International.

Development history

A third airport for Beijing was suggested in 2008. By 2012, the Beijing Capital International Airport was almost full.

Early reports in 2011 said the new airport could have up to nine runways. It would replace Beijing Capital International Airport as Beijing's main airport and be the largest in China. The airport was planned to handle many passengers each year, making it the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic.

Construction was approved in 2014 to be built in the southern part of Daxing District of Beijing, near Hebei Province. It was planned to have 7 runways. Construction finished in 2019 and could handle many passengers by 2025.

The airport's design looks like a starfish. It connects to trains, subways, and buses. The building was designed by Zaha Hadid Architects.

Construction began in 2014. By 2017, the main structure was done. The airport opened on September 25, 2019. The Chinese president and General Secretary of the Communist Party Xi Jinping attended the opening. The first flight was an Airbus A380 by China Southern Airlines. Public flights started the next day. The airport became a hub for China United Airlines, and other airlines planned to move there too.

Airport facilities

The first part of the airport can handle up to 72 million passengers, 2 million tons of cargo and mail, and 620,000 airplane takeoffs and landings.

The airport uses special technology. It tracks bags with radio signals, uses the earth's heat to control temperature, and checks faces for security.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

This section lists the airlines and the places they fly to from Beijing Daxing International Airport. You can find more details about each airline and their destinations here.

Ground transportation

Main article: Daxing Jichang (Daxing Airport) station

The airport has many ways to get to and from the city. There is a special area under the main building just for transportation. This area has train stations for fast trains and city subways. Right now, one subway line, called the Daxing Airport Express, and one fast train line, the Beijing–Xiong'an intercity railway, are working. There are also big roads that help people drive to the airport.

Intercity rail

A very fast train called the Beijing–Xiong'an intercity railway starts from Beijing West railway station. It goes from Beijing city through Daxing District and Bazhou to the airport. The part from the airport to Beijing started on 26 September 2019 and takes about 28 minutes. Another fast train, the Intercity Railway Connector, will connect Langfang, Yizhuang, and Tongzhou District to the airport. The first part of this train line is being built. There is also a plan for a fast train from Tianjin West railway station to the airport.

Subway

The Daxing Airport Express is a subway line that connects the airport to Beijing city. It started on 26 September 2019 and goes from Caoqiao station to the airport. Plans are to extend this line north to Lize Shangwuqu and south to Xiong'an.

Statistics

Here are some numbers about how many people used Beijing Daxing International Airport in 2022.

^1: The numbers for 2019 only include the last four months because that’s when the airport opened.

Climate

The climate around Beijing Daxing International Airport is typical for the region, with cold winters and warm summers. This helps the airport plan for comfort and safety for all travelers.