Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) held the opening ceremony for its rebuilt Terminal 2 (T2) on May 22, 2026, with departure facilities scheduled to commence operations on May 27, 2026, and 15 airlines moving their check-in services to the new building in phases through mid-June, ahead of the summer peak.
Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) said about 1,500 guests attended the ceremony, which doubled as a showcase for some 40 business partners, including airlines, cargo terminals, and ground handlers. The same booths hosted the HKIA Expo and Career Fair on May 23 and 24, 2026, recruiting for more than 4,400 airport vacancies across roles in ground services, aircraft maintenance, airfreight, aviation security, baggage handling, engineering, and catering.
Phased airline relocation
The 15 carriers moving to T2 mainly operate short-haul and regional routes. Hong Kong Airlines is the first to relocate, with check-in shifting to T2 on May 27, 2026. Greater Bay Airlines follows on June 3, 2026, and HK Express on June 10, 2026. The remaining carriers are expected to complete their moves by mid-June 2026, with selected Cathay Pacific flights also among the airlines transferring.
Passengers checking in at T2 will still proceed to Terminal 1 for boarding, using the Automated People Mover that connects the two buildings. The T2 concourse, which is set to add 27 boarding gates including seven multi-aircraft ramp stands, is scheduled to open in 2027.
Capacity ahead of the summer peak
The new departure hall houses 160 check-in counters across eight aisles, alongside self bag-drop facilities, biometric e-Security Gates, and re-engineered screening lanes. AAHK said T2 is expected to handle around eight million passenger journeys in its first year. The terminal is directly linked to the Airport Express station and to T1 via an air-conditioned footbridge, with 29 airport bus routes adding a T2 stop.
T2 is the first major capacity unlock since HKIA started simultaneous three-runway operations in late 2024, part of the HK$141 billion (around $18 billion) Three-Runway System program. AAHK chairman Fred Lam said the May commissioning was timed to enable HKIA to meet the anticipated surge in passengers during the summer peak season.