ع
Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah led an inspection of the New Terminal 2 at Kuwait International Airport during a Cabinet meeting held at the construction location. He received detailed briefings on current advancements from the ministers of defense and public works together with the director general of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and additional project leaders. The visit allowed the prime minister to assess remaining challenges firsthand while reiterating the project’s status as a cornerstone of national development. Arab Times reported that the tour underscored the need for all entities to align efforts closely.
Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah expressed appreciation for the work carried out by the ministers of defense and public works along with civil aviation officials and other government bodies engaged in the scheme. His remarks highlighted the importance of sustained collaboration to clear barriers that could slow the build. The prime minister’s comments came as the project nears its final stages according to updates shared during the session. Arab Times noted that the inspection occurred on the sidelines of regular government business at the site itself.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has outlined plans for Terminal 2 to accommodate up to 25 million passengers annually with potential to scale to 50 million in future phases. This expansion forms part of a broader $5.8 billion airport modernization program that includes new runways and supporting infrastructure. Contractor Limak Insaat received the design-build contract valued at more than $4.3 billion for the main terminal structure designed by Foster and Partners. The terminal also features sustainability elements targeting LEED Gold certification.
Figures released by the contractor Limak Insaat placed physical completion at 84.19 percent by the end of 2025 with the full project on track for operational handover in the last quarter of 2026. Earlier milestones showed the terminal roughly 70 percent finished in late 2025 according to directorate assessments. The airside modernization elements reached 88 percent completion by October 2025 as part of separate contract bundles. These metrics indicate steady advancement despite past setbacks.
Construction on Terminal 2 began in May 2017 with an initial target completion date of August 2022 that was postponed first to 2024 and later to 2026 largely because of disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple site visits by senior officials including one in November 2025 and another in May 2026 have maintained momentum on the scheme. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has continued to monitor compliance with quality and safety standards throughout the extended timeline. Project managers have focused on integrating advanced aviation technologies into the triangular building that will house 28 gates.
Kuwait International Airport’s current facilities have operated near capacity for years prompting the push to bring the new terminal online as soon as feasible. The addition of 4,500 parking spaces and a 400-bed airside hotel will support increased traffic once the facility opens. Officials have emphasized that timely delivery aligns with wider economic goals to position Kuwait as a regional aviation hub. Updates from the Government Performance Monitoring Agency have consistently flagged the terminal among the country’s most strategic ongoing initiatives.
