Southampton Airport reveals expansion plans for new lounges

Hampshire Chronicle
Natalia Forero
10 Feb 2026

Southampton Airport has revealed expansion plans including two new passenger lounges as bosses look to boost traveller numbers to three million a year.

Steve Thurston, head of planning and development at Southampton Airport, told a public meeting that work is already underway on the first phase of the expansion.

The first phase includes a new covered walkway, designed to provide weather protection for passengers arriving and departing.

“(The first phase) is proceeding quite fast in design now. It’s not something that we need planning permission for, as it comes under the airport’s operational permitted development.” [Steve Thurston]

The second part of this first phase will see a ground floor extension to the departures lounge, which the airport says is needed to relieve pressure on existing space.

Southampton Airport reveals expansion plans for new lounges | Hampshire Chronicle | 10 Feb 2026