VINCI Airports inaugurates major modernization and extension works at Kansai International Airport ahead of the Osaka 2025 Expo Opening
- Over the past three decades, Kansai International Airport (KIX) has experienced remarkable growth in passenger traffic, serving over 30.6 million passengers in 2024;
- Major modernization and extension works of Terminal 1 have increased its capacity to 40 million passengers annually and improved quality of service including a top-level retail experience;
- KIX builds momentum for the Expo 2025 Osaka and is ready to be Japan’s world gateway.
VINCI Airports is proud to have joined Kansai International Airport (KIX) in celebrating its 30th anniversary, in presence of Yasushi Furukawa, State Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Member of House of Councilors, Nicolas Notebaert, CEO of Concessions at VINCI and President of VINCI Airports, and Makoto Inoue, CEO of ORIX.
VINCI Airports, with its partner ORIX, have been a key partner in KIX's journey since 2016, committed to supporting the Osaka and Kansai region’s attractivity and connectivity, while enhancing the airport’s passenger experience and environmental transition.
A top international gateway to Japan, ready to welcome millions of passengers for Expo 2025
Since its inauguration in 1994, KIX has become a vital infrastructure for Japan, connecting Osaka and the Kansai region to the world with round-the-clock flights.
Over the past three decades, KIX has experienced remarkable growth in passenger traffic, serving over 30.6 million passengers in 2024. VINCI Airports has played a key role in this success by fostering strong partnerships with airlines and implementing innovative solutions to optimize airport operations. This includes a major renovation of the Terminal 1, increasing its capacity to 40 million passengers annually.
As around 28 million visitors are expected during the six months of the Expo 2025 Osaka global event, KIX will be one of the main gateways for Japan and is ready to welcome and ensure a unique experience for those millions of passengers.
A continued commitment to improve operational efficiency and quality of service
Beyond traffic growth, VINCI Airports has prioritized elevating the passenger experience at KIX.
By introducing new retail areas, the largest walkthrough duty free in Japan, spaces designed to reflect various passengers profiles transiting through the airport, and one of the biggest business and premium lounge in the world (with a capacity of more than 1,000 passengers, including families), the airport offers a welcoming and memorable experience for passengers.
VINCI Airports has also deployed all its operational know-how to streamline and improve the passenger journey:
- new check-in areas with a 'self-bag drop' system shared between airlines,
- 10 latest-generation security screening inspection lanes using notably technologies based on artificial intelligence
- immigration control procedure by eGates, among the fastest in the world
- call-to-gate technology for better passenger comfort and optimal gate allocation
These innovations increase capacity and reduce waiting times (95% passengers pass through security controls in less than 5 minutes), and offer a quality of service worthy of VINCI Airports' best standards.
Sustainability at the forefront
VINCI Airports has implemented its environmental strategy at KIX, aiming for net-zero emissions across its network by 2050 (scope 1&2) while acting also on its scope 3. Thanks to numerous actions to avoid, reduce and segregate its carbon emissions – such as optimising energy efficiency, introducing electric and fuel-cell vehicles, developing solar plants or seaweed beds as CO2 absorption source - KIX has reached the level 4 of the Airport Carbon Accreditation certification and has the largest solar power generation capacity among airports in Japan.
In addition, while acting on decarbonizing the airport’s activities, teams are also preparing the future of mobility. The partnership, in which the airport participates, aims to start the first large-scale commercial production of sustainable aviation fuels in Japan in 2025.It has also entered a strategic partnership with Airbus to work together towards the introduction of hydrogen-fuelled aircrafts, a first of its kind at an airport in Japan.
Nicolas Notebaert, CEO of Concessions at VINCI and President of VINCI Airports, said: “What a great journey for VINCI Airports and Kansai Airports we celebrated at KIX, at the service of the Kansai region’s attractivity and of its inhabitants’ connectivity to the world. With our partners, we have demonstrated how we can leverage our expertise to optimise and modernise the airport while accelerating its environmental transition, and we will continue to do so. We look forward to welcoming the world in Kansai for the Osaka Expo 2025!”
VINCI Airports, as the leading private airport operator in the world, manages the development and operation of more than 70 airports located in 14 countries. Subsidiary of VINCI Concessions, VINCI Airports draws on its expertise as a comprehensive integrator to develop, finance, build and operate airports, leveraging its investment capability and know-how to optimise operational performance and modernise infrastructure while bringing about their environmental transition. In 2016, VINCI Airports became the first airport operator to commit to an international environmental strategy, setting itself the aim of reaching zero net emissions (scope 1 and 2) across the network by 2050 while supporting the territories’ local climate transition.
