Nice Côte d’Azur Airport Inaugurates its Terminal 2 Extension

The capacity of France’s second-largest airport – with 14 million passengers per year – having been significantly exceeded since 2019, the extension of Terminal 2 will help maintain a high standard of passenger service and ensure smooth flow management for both departures and arrivals, for Schengen and non-Schengen flights alike, over the coming years.

Delivered without any additional land take, the extension is composed of three main areas. 

The initial development includes an enlargement of the non-Schengen departure lounge, alongside the creation of a new outbound passport control area, retail outlets and a VIP lounge. This first phase was completed ahead of summer 2025. 

The second phase consists of a boarding pier providing direct access to six existing aircraft stands, eliminating the need for apron buses and enabling the simultaneous handling of passengers regardless of their origin or destination. It is due to enter service in the coming days.

Finally, a new building in the public area features 36 check-in desks and a new hold baggage handling system.  It will become operational as soon as required by peak summer traffic. 

The overall development, designed by the architectural firm of Stéphane Aurel, represents approximately 23,000 m2 of space, increasing passenger-accessible areas by more than 30%. 

This new infrastructure will raise the airport’s overall capacity to 18 million passengers.

“This is a historic day for the airport, and especially for the region it serves. This extension will enable us to continue enhancing the passenger experience, offering a standard of welcome and service that reflects the reputation of the Côte d’Azur. An airport is both the first and last impression of a stay, and our responsibility to the region is to make that experience as positive as possible,” states Goldnadel, Chairman of the Executive Board of Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur. 

“The completion of this terminal demonstrates our Group’s ability to make strategic investments in the regions where we operate, while maintaining continuous dialogue with the public institutions and local authorities. I would like to thank the management team and all the employees of Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur for this major achievement, which structurally enhances the attractiveness of France’s second-largest airport. Mundys is a forward-looking European industrial group that considers France a key market. Over the years, we have invested more than €11 billion in French infrastructure, creating jobs and contributing to regional competitiveness. This is the path we will continue to follow,” declares Alessandro Benetton, Chairman of Edizione and Mundys, the principal shareholder of Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur.

A responsible project

The design and construction phase of this adaptation took into account all environmental constraints:

• The Terminal 2 extension, which falls within the scope of 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 raising CO₂ emissions (under Scopes 1 and 2), and may even reduce them;
• A geothermal energy solution and the installation of photovoltaic panels enable the building to meet more than 10% of its energy needs from renewable sources;
• The building has achieved a carbon rating of 3 kg CO₂ per m² of floor area per year;
• Throughout construction, the site was monitored by an independent ecologist engineer and an independent environmental engineer, the former overseeing the health of the Var plain ecosystem, and the latter ensuring compliance with environmental guidelines among all contractors of the project.

You’ll find the full detailed information about this extension on our website: https://societe.nice.aeroport.fr/presse-media/adaptation-du-terminal-2

A vital asset for the region

Nice Côte d’Azur Airport serves a highly isolated catchment area stretching from western Var to northern Italy, via the Principality of Monaco – spanning three countries.

In 2024, its activity, including both on-site businesses and the spending of 14.8 million passengers, supported 39,600 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs and generated €2.7 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) in France. For the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region alone, its activities contributed €2.1 billion to GDP and 30,000 FTE jobs.

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

Eric Ciotti, Mayor of Nice and President of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis, states:
“The inauguration of the Terminal 2 extension at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport marks a major milestone for our region. It strengthens our capacity at a time of strong international attractiveness and confirms the strategic role of the Côte d’Azur as a gateway to southern Europe.
This major investment directly contributes to the reputation of the metropolis in terms of economy, tourism and events. It meets the standards of quality, fluidity and sustainability expected by travellers from around the world.
With this achievement, we assert our ambition more strongly than ever: to make Nice and the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis a destination of excellence, innovating and competing on an international scale.”