The plans were first announced at the UK Government’s International Investment Summit, which secured £63 billion and nearly 38,000 jobs for the UK economy.

London Stansted has revealed details of a five year £1.1bn investment programme which it said will deliver wide-ranging benefits to passengers and help secure links to even more global destinations.

The centrepiece of the plan is a £600m extension to the airport’s existing terminal, which will create a bright spacious environment, with more seating areas plus new shops, bars and restaurants to give travellers even more choice than they have today.

The plans for London Stansted Airport follow record-breaking passenger numbers for each month in 2024 to date, and are intended to boost local supply chains and create 5,000 jobs.

Planning permission for the extension was secured last October, and Stansted today released images and a video to showcase its plans for the first time.

The terminal development will help enable the airport serve up to 43 million passengers a year, which in turn will create up to 5,000 new on-site jobs, and see the airport’s economic contribution double to £2 billion annually.

Also included in the airport’s £1.1bn investment programme are a number of projects to enhance the passenger journey and support Stansted’s commitment to deliver a sustainable future, such as: an enlarged security hall and installation of next generation security equipment; an 14.3MW on-site solar farm to supply current and future energy needs; a new and additional terminal and gate area seating; new wayfinding kiosks across the terminal; gate room reconfiguration to create more space for passengers pre-boarding their aircraft; flooring and seating upgrades across satellite two plus new bar area; a refurbishment of terminal toilet facilities; and an airfield taxiway upgrade.

Gareth Powell, Managing Director for London Stansted Airport, said: “Stansted is embarking on an exciting new chapter. We aim to add even more choice of airlines to continue growing our extensive route network that is valued and enjoyed by the millions of passengers who choose to fly from London Stansted every year.

“We are already welcoming a record number of passengers, with people drawn to the fact we give them a great choice of destinations, at excellent value and with fantastic access into central London and the whole of the East of England.”

In addition, a number of other projects have already been completed or are currently underway with airport partners, including: a new EV charging forecourt and drive-thru restaurants; new Emirates business lounge; and new baggage reclaim carousel.

“This is a really exciting time for everyone connected with Stansted as we know we have a critical role to play in serving the future capacity needs of London. Our aim is to be the airport of choice for even more passengers and we’re confident our investment plans will boost our competitiveness within the London aviation market, as well as supporting economic growth, jobs and vital international connectivity for London and the East of England,” added Powell.

The extension to Stansted’s terminal will add three-bays to the back of the terminal building, extending it by 16,500sq m.

The updated design also reveals an enlarged immigration hall moving from its current location, freeing up additional space for a bigger departure lounge plus new larger arrivals baggage carousels.

The more spacious departure lounge will feature additional seating, a greater choice of shops, bars and restaurants, and a larger security hall with more security lanes equipped with next-generation scanners.

The extension will also provide more state-of-the-art check-in desks plus increased baggage capacity.

Over the past 12 months, a number of new airlines have started flying from Stansted for the first time, including Royal Jordanian and Sun Express, plus the welcome return of British Airways, boosting the number of destinations on the departure board to more than 200 this summer.

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