New Airport Terminal to Handle 2 Million Extra Visitors for Race Weekend

Kigali International Airport has broken ground on a major terminal expansion project designed to handle the unprecedented surge in international arrivals expected during the 2030 Formula One Grand Prix weekend. The new terminal, which will add 12 additional gates and double the airport's peak-hour processing capacity, is scheduled for completion in August 2030.

The expansion project, valued at $340 million, is being delivered by a joint venture between Rwandan construction firm Horizon Group and Spanish airport specialists AENA. It will add 45,000 square metres of terminal space, including dedicated fast-track immigration lanes for Grand Prix ticket holders and a new baggage reclaim hall capable of processing 4,000 bags per hour.

Forty airlines have already confirmed direct routes to Kigali for the Grand Prix weekend, including new services from London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Dubai, Singapore, and New York JFK. RwandAir is expanding its fleet by six aircraft specifically to meet demand, with additional wide-body capacity being leased from partner carriers.

"We are expecting approximately two million additional visitor arrivals in the two weeks surrounding the Grand Prix," said Rwanda Airports Company CEO Alexis Nzahabwanimana. "The new terminal ensures that every one of those visitors arrives in Kigali with the experience they expect from a world-class Grand Prix destination."

Beyond the terminal expansion, the airport authority is also investing in ground transport infrastructure, including a new express rail link connecting the airport to the city centre in 22 minutes. The rail service, which will operate at 10-minute intervals during peak Grand Prix periods, is expected to carry 40% of arriving passengers, significantly reducing road congestion on the main approach routes.