Changi Airport Group – a Headline Partner of APEX FTE Asia Expo, Singapore, 11-12 November 2025 – has held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Terminal 5 – a mega terminal that will strengthen Changi Airport’s position as a leading air hub.
Powered by state-of-the-art airport systems and extensive automation, T5 will allow Changi Airport to significantly increase its handling capacity, optimise operations and leverage new opportunities as travel demand continues to increase in the decades ahead.
“Our vision is for T5 to be mega yet cosy, a terminal that embraces the Changi DNA – delivering a personalised, stress free and positively surprising airport experience,” said Mr Yam Kum Weng, Chief Executive Officer, Changi Airport Group. “As a new gateway to Singapore, T5 offers new possibilities and will bring new surprises. It will offer yet another vibrant space for families, friends and the airport community to gather and bond.”
T5 will be linked to existing terminals at Changi Airport, so that the airport can operate as a single integrated air hub. It is designed to handle about 50 million passengers annually in its first phase, which is expected to open in the mid-2030s.
The new terminal will see extensive automation of both passenger-facing processes and back-end functions, powered by innovative technologies that are being trialled today for wider implementation by the time T5 opens. This will enable the airport to operate technologies at scale in a sustainable manner.
Inspired by Singapore’s unique blend of nature and city, T5’s design concept is characterised by a unique collection of overlapping curved roofs with varying heights. The ‘roof leaves’ break the mega terminal building into smaller spaces that are more human scale. Combined with natural light and landscaping at appropriate spaces, the terminal will have the familiar cosy, yet uplifting, feel that Changi is known for.
To make it easier for passengers to get around the terminal, travellators, as well as an automated people mover system (APM) similar to the Skytrain, will reduce walking distances. The walking distances in T5 will be comparable to Changi’s current terminals. The APM network will also link T5 to Terminal 2, facilitating seamless transfers to the other terminals. T5 is also designed to be intuitive for wayfinding, with paths that lead passengers either to the boarding gates or the APM station, where trains will take them to their gates. Passengers will not need to rely heavily on signage to find their way around the terminal.
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