•AAI is building eight transit suite rooms in the new T3 Terminal at Chennai Airport, scheduled for completion by December 2026.
•The T3 Terminal is part of a ₹2,467 crore integrated terminal complex spanning 2,20,972 square metres, including the existing T2 Terminal.
•AAI is exploring leasing options with top city hotels and will invite bids for hotel operators once the terminal is ready.
•Long transit times of up to 10–12 hours prompted the need for rest facilities, with eight rooms planned to meet this demand.
•Earlier plans for a larger in-terminal hotel were dropped due to space and security challenges, leading to the current suite model.
•Domestic passengers have long requested cloakroom facilities in T1 Terminal, highlighting ongoing demand for better amenities.
•The integrated terminal project is a major upgrade to enhance capacity and passenger experience at Chennai International Airport.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is constructing eight dedicated transit suite rooms inside the upcoming T3 International Terminal at Chennai International Airport. The new terminal, designed as an extension of the existing T2 Terminal, will cover 2,20,972 square metres and has been developed at a total cost of ₹2,467 crore. Construction began after delays, with the standalone T2 Terminal finally commissioned three years ago and now handling all international flight operations. The integrated terminal complex, combining T2 and T3, is now under development, with the T3 extension specifically intended to serve long-haul transit passengers requiring rest facilities.
According to AAI officials, the eight suite rooms are planned to be ready by December 2026. The authority has already initiated discussions with several leading city hotels to explore leasing models for operating these rooms. A tender process will follow once the terminal is complete, ensuring a professional hotel operator manages the facility. “Several air passengers sometimes have long transit times, sometimes stretching to 10-12 hours. Hence, we thought it would be useful to have such a facility for them to rest. With the existing space available, we have planned eight rooms,” an AAI official explained.
Frequent flyer Shankar welcomed the initiative, highlighting the need for rest spaces at airports. “Cloak rooms in the airport and hotels in the vicinity are a crucial amenity for both domestic and international air passengers. This is a welcome move at the airport. After the first leg of a flight, if there is a long transit time, many passengers are left wondering where to go and how to rest for a while. This could be very helpful for them,” he said.
Earlier proposals had included a larger hotel within the T3 Terminal, but AAI officials later determined such a plan was not feasible due to space constraints, logistical challenges, and additional security requirements. The revised plan focuses on a smaller, self-contained transit suite model that can be efficiently managed and operated.
Besides the new transit suites, domestic passengers have long been requesting cloakroom facilities at the T1 Terminal, underscoring persistent demand for improved passenger amenities across the airport. The new transit rooms are expected to ease pressures on nearby hotels and provide a convenient rest option for international passengers in transit through Chennai.
The integrated terminal complex is a major infrastructure upgrade for the city’s aviation hub, aimed at enhancing capacity, passenger comfort, and operational efficiency. With the T3 Terminal’s completion expected by December 2026, Chennai Airport is taking a significant step toward modernising its international passenger services.
