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Nice Côte d’Azur Airport Terminal 2 extension: 23,000 sq m and capacity increased to 18 million passengers

On April 13, 2026, Jean-François Chapperon, Senior Manager, Foreign Direct Investment at Team Nice Côte d’Azur, took part in the inauguration of the extension to Terminal 2 at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport.

With 15.23 million passengers in 2025, the new extension raises the airport’s passenger capacity to 18 million. It adds 23,058 sq m of space, six new boarding gates and 36 check-in desks.

This expansion directly strengthens the attractiveness of the Côte d’Azur by improving both international and domestic access to the region for investors, businesses, talent and major events. As France’s second-busiest airport after Paris, Nice Côte d’Azur is further consolidating its role as a major economic gateway and a driver of the region’s European profile.

Nice Côte d’Azur Airport officially inaugurated the extension of Terminal 2 on April 13, 2026, and shared the following information on the project and its impact:

At a time when the annual capacity of France’s second-largest airport, set at 14 million passengers, had been significantly exceeded since 2019, the Terminal 2 extension will help maintain high standards of passenger service and smooth traffic management for both departures and arrivals, on Schengen and non-Schengen flights alike, for years to come.

Built with no additional land take, the extension is divided into three main areas.

First, it includes an expansion of the boarding lounge for non-Schengen flights, the creation of a new outbound passport control area, new retail outlets and a VIP lounge. This first section was delivered before summer 2025.
The second section consists of a pier in the boarding area providing direct access to the six pre-existing aircraft stands, eliminating the need for apron buses and enabling passengers to be processed simultaneously regardless of their country of origin or destination. It will enter service in the coming days.
Lastly, there is a public-area building comprising 36 check-in desks and a new hold-baggage handling system. It will be brought into operation as soon as summer traffic levels require it.

Designed by architect Stéphane Aurel’s firm, the overall development represents around 23,000 sq m of floor space, increasing the area accessible to passengers by more than 30%.

This new facility will increase the airport’s capacity to 18 million passengers.

A responsible project

Both the design and construction phases of this adaptation took full account of environmental requirements:

The Terminal 2 extension, located within the Nice EcoVallée development area, fully complies with its environmental framework and is targeting the “Efficient” level;
The Terminal 2 extension increases airport capacity without increasing CO₂ emissions under Scopes 1 and 2, and may even reduce them;
A geothermal system and photovoltaic panels enable the building to cover more than 10% of its energy needs from renewable sources;
The building has achieved a carbon footprint rating of 3 kg CO₂/year per sq m of floor area;
Throughout the project, the construction site was monitored by an independent ecological engineer and an independent environmental engineer, the former overseeing the health of the Var plain ecosystem and the latter ensuring that all contractors complied with environmental requirements.

Full details on this extension are available on the Nice Côte d’Azur Airport website:
https://societe.nice.aeroport.fr/presse-media/adaptation-du-terminal-2

Essential infrastructure for its region

Nice Côte d’Azur Airport serves a highly constrained territory stretching from western Var to northern Italy, via the Principality of Monaco, across three countries.

In 2024, its activity, including both the companies operating on the airport platform and the spending of its 14.8 million passengers, supported 39,600 full-time equivalent jobs in France and generated €2.7 billion in GDP. In the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region alone, its activities contributed €2.1 billion in GDP and 30,000 full-time equivalent jobs.

Spending by commercial aviation visitors generates €3.3 billion in revenue, including €2.5 billion in the Alpes-Maritimes, €362 million in Monaco and €66 million in Italy.

Source: Aéroport Nice Côte d’Azur