Busy UK airport opens new £60million hub marking start of mega makeover – including bigger terminal & more restaurants
The swanky new facility marks the first phase of the airport's huge redevelopment project, aimed at boosting capacity from 10 million to 12 million travellers a year.
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The brand-new transport interchange sits on top of a modern multi-storey car park and includes 16 bus and coach bays, up from just six before.
That means more buses, smoother transfers and quicker journeys to and from the terminal.
Inside, passengers can now make use of waiting lounges, toilets and rest zones, with the whole setup designed to make travelling through the airport a lot less stressful.
Drivers can now park in one of over 2,000 new spaces and stroll straight to the terminal via a covered footbridge – perfect for avoiding the classic British weather and stressful suitcase dashes.
The car park and interchange are part of what Bristol Airport calls a 'one-stop shop' for public transport, all rolled out to improve the experience for millions of passengers.
Airport bosses say this is just phase one of a massive plan to transform Bristol into a more modern, efficient travel hub.
Over the next 18 months, they'll be tackling road layouts, terminal space, and food and drink options – all while keeping the airport running.
And yes, more restaurants, bigger lounges, and improved drop-off areas are all in the pipeline.
There will be a new "drop and go" zone and there will also be better pedestrian links to the terminal.
Dave Lees, chief executive of the Airport, said the new development was "really important as it represents a milestone in terms of improving the facilities for our customers".
"Gone are the days of passengers having to walk up slopes here," he added, explaining that the number of bays for coaches and buses had been doubled, as well as the addition of new covered access routes, covered seating and toilet facilities.
This signifies the airport's "level of ambition" as it "looks to the future", he added.
The project has taken over two years to complete and is part of a wider £400million airport transformation project, which aims to improve transport links.
North Somerset Council leader Mile Bell called the new development a "fantastic piece of infrastructure", but added that more needed to be done to improve access routes.
"I think we all recognise that we've still got more to do to make the access routes easier and introduce mass transit, particularly from Bristol city centre so people can get here easier, faster and cheaper using public transport," he said.
He also urged passengers to "give public transport a try" to ease the strain on illegal and thoughtless parking in the areas around the airport.
Not everyone was thrilled by the expansion plans and they sparked strong opposition from environmental campaigners, who argued against more flights during a climate crisis.
The Bristol Airport Action Network (BAAN) worked with Extinction Rebellion and other concerned residents to protest the airport growth.
They claimed that the increase in passengers every year would significantly increase carbon emissions.
In 2020, North Somerset Council rejected the expansion plans after also expressing concerns about carbon emissions.
Those against were also worried about the pressure the additional traffic would put on the local infrastructure and greenbelt intrusion.
The rejection was overturned in 2022 but officials stressed that the expansion complied with national planning policy and deemed the climate impact acceptable.
This comes after an unlikely football hero was spotted working at the airport in June this year.
After Swansea boss Luke Williams was sacked in February 2025 he was placed on gardening leave.
The ex-Swindon and Notts County chief decided to do something with his time and joined the team at Bristol Airport.
Wearing a high-vis, the gig is helping disabled and limited-mobility passengers get around the terminals.
Fans flocked to praise the footie star after a photo of him at the airport did the rounds.
One wrote: "Cardiff City fan here with nothing but respect for this. Call me woke if you want. (*best believe I'll turn up in full bluebirds kit when I fly out next week)"
Another wrote: "Clearly has a massive work ethic. Good luck to him!"
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