Malta airport to add five gates, 32 check-in desks in upgrade set for 2028

Malta International Airport will add new 32 check-in desks, five departure gates and expanded baggage facilities as part of a major expansion set to be completed by 2028, CEO Alan Borg said on Monday.

“I want to be very clear, we are building a bigger airport not to simply attract more passengers but to increase the quality of the service we deliver at MIA,” he said.

The expansion will also see the addition of one new crew gate and will increase 'circulation space' by 2,300 square metres. The East Expansion Project was relaunched in February 2025 as part of a €345 million, four-year investment programme. 

Borg said the new terminal would include elements of Maltese authenticity, such as limestone arches, while maintaining visual continuity with the existing terminal. The design will make extensive use of natural light and highlight Maltese hospitality, with environmental sustainability remaining a central focus.

Alan Borg, CEO of Malta International Airport. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Prime Minister Robert Abela, who also addressed the press, described the airport as more than just a gateway.

“It is a vital engine of growth, tourism, trade, and international engagement,” he said. “It is the first and last impression that visitors take with them,” he added, stressing the airport’s central role in shaping how Malta is perceived globally.

He said the investment was significant because the project aimed not only to expand the airport’s physical footprint but also to improve its standards and prepare it for the future.

“This project reflects what we can achieve when public institutions and private enterprise work together,” Abela said.

The Prime Minister speaking at the project launch Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

He added that the expansion was in line with the government’s vision for Malta 2050, which is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

“Such investments send a powerful message that Malta believes in planning ahead, building for future generations, and competing with confidence on the international stage,” the Prime Minister said.

In January 2020, Malta International Airport announced plans to double its footprint, but those plans were shelved later that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the aviation industry.