When did Beijing Capital International Airport open?
Beijing Capital International Airport opened on the 1st of March 1958. It initially consisted of one small terminal building and a single 2,500-metre runway on its eastern side.
Questions about Beijing Capital International Airport
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What is the IATA code for Beijing Capital International Airport and what does it mean?
The IATA code for Beijing Capital International Airport is PEK. The code is based on Peking, the former romanized name for the city of Beijing.
How large is Terminal 3 at Beijing Capital International Airport?
Terminal 3 has a total floor area of 986,000 square metres, making it the largest airport terminal building in the world to be constructed in a single phase at the time of its opening in 2008. It held that record until the 14th of October 2008, when Dubai International Airport's Terminal 3, with 1,713,000 square metres, surpassed it.
How was the Terminal 3 expansion at Beijing Capital Airport funded?
The Terminal 3 expansion was funded in part by a 30-billion-yen loan from Japan and a 500-million-euro loan from the European Investment Bank, the largest loan the EIB had ever granted in Asia. The total budget for the expansion reached US$3.5 billion.
How many passengers does Beijing Capital International Airport handle each year?
Beijing Capital International Airport handled more than 100 million passengers in both 2018 and 2019. Volumes dropped sharply to around 12.7 million in 2022 due to the pandemic before recovering to roughly 67.4 million in 2024.
What rail service connects Beijing Capital International Airport to the city?
The Capital Airport Express, part of the Beijing Subway system, connects Beijing Capital International Airport to the city. The 30.0-kilometre line opened on the 19th of July 2008 and a one-way trip from the airport to the city centre takes approximately 16-20 minutes.