French airports are certainly embarking on the next decade with new ambitions. And business travelers should benefit from this. At least those who live or travel in Bordeaux and therefore in Lyon; the Niçois professionals who have seen the Olympic rings move away… Because it is the horizon of the 2030 Winter Olympics that will serve as the finish line for Vinci Airports and Aéroports de Lyon. The two partners celebrated on October 16 the launch of the transformation of Terminal 2 at Lyon-Saint Exupéry. Philippe Tabarot, Minister of Transport, attended the laying of the first stone. Fabrice Pannekoucke, President of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, Véronique Sarselli, President of the Lyon Métropole, and Philippe Valentin, President of the Lyon Métropole Saint-Étienne Roanne CCI, were also present. The construction work is starting fifty years after the opening of the platform.
This project is part of a five-year investment program worth more than €380 million. The shareholders of Aéroports de Lyon are backing it: VINCI Airports, the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations and Crédit Agricole Assurances, alongside the State, the municipalities and the CCI. However, this plan depends on the signing, by spring 2027, of an economic regulation contract with the State. «It is essential that, together with the State, we can create the conditions to fully mobilize our investment capacity to continue modernizing the airport and supporting the economic and tourist development of the region,» emphasizes Nicolas Notebaert, General Director of Concessions at VINCI and President of VINCI Airports.
9,500 m² of extension and new-generation security controls
The project adds 9,500 m² to the terminal and modernizes 12,000 m² of existing space. It includes a new generation security control area, identical to that that will be installed in Terminal 1 for the summer of 2027. New commercial and leisure spaces complete the overall design. Furthermore, the bus station will be expanded to accommodate more buses, especially to the Alps. The terminal will better handle oversized luggage, such as skis or bicycles, to keep up with mountain traffic in winter and summer. A thermal renovation is also planned to reduce the carbon footprint. Lyon-Saint Exupéry is the sixth airport in the world to be certified by ACA (Airport Carbon Accreditation) level 5, which certifies zero net emissions from its direct emissions.
A commissioning before the Winter Olympics 2030
The new Terminal 2 is scheduled to open in 2029. The airport thus aims to become the gateway for delegations, spectators, and tourists of the 2030 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
There is still a first hurdle to overcome. Without an economic regulation contract signed with the State by spring 2027, the €380 million program could be put on hold. However, Lyon’s business travelers won’t have to wait until 2029 to see the first effects. The new security controls will actually arrive at Terminal 1 as early as summer 2027.
