Ministry moves to recognize Vilnius airport expansion as project of national importance

VILNIUS – The Transport Ministry proposes designating Vilnius Airport's expansion, already launched by Lietuvos Oro Uostai (Lithuanian Airports, LTOU), as a project of national importance.

According to the draft government resolution prepared by the ministry, the status would apply to Vilnius Airport's new departure terminal, which is already under construction, and its planned new arrival terminal, as well as plans to renovate the existing airport building and build access roads to the new terminals. 

The project, which will cost 235 million euros in private and public funds, is expected to be completed by 2023. It will increase Vilnius Airport's capacity to handle at least 7.8 million passengers annually.

Once the new departure terminal opens in early 2025, construction will begin on the new arrival terminal, slated for completion by 2027. The renovation of the existing Soviet-era building, to create commercial spaces, is planned to be finished by 2028.

An underground station for the Rail Baltica European-gauge railway is planned to be built under the building by 2030.

The Transport Ministry also proposes to further promote and expand flights through a risk-sharing model.

Under this model, Latvia's Air Baltic will launch flights between Vilnius and Düsseldorf in Germany in late October.

Flights between Vilnius and London City, Lisbon and Hamburg are already operating under this model. Poland's LOT has been flying to London City since last October, and Air Baltic has been serving Lisbon and Hamburg since May.