Bristol Airport is midway through a large investment programme. A £30m two-storey terminal extension is under way to lift annual capacity to 12 million passengers, the new £60m Public Transport Interchange has opened, and the Long Stay car park is closed for a rebuild until spring 2026. Here is what is changing and what it means for your trip now. Checked August 2026.
Why the airport is expanding
Bristol is the UK's busiest airport outside London and has been growing fast. In 2024 it passed 10 million passengers for the first time, at 10,479,112, and August 2025 was its busiest month ever with over 1.2 million passengers. That record traffic is straining a single terminal built for far fewer people, which is why the airport is investing to add capacity rather than turn passengers away at peak times.
The £30m terminal extension
The headline project is a two-storey terminal extension, awarded to contractor Farrans in early 2026 and now under way as part of a wider investment programme reported at around £400m. Its aim is to support plans to raise annual passenger capacity to 12 million. For travellers, the notable changes in the design are:
- Much more circulation space, easing the crush at busy periods.
- Nearly double the retail and food outlets, with 17 new units taking the total to around 38, including premium brands and a bar.
- A reconfigured arrivals hall with a new domestic baggage reclaim area and an extra carousel, reported to increase reclaim capacity by about 20 percent.
Overall floor space is set to grow by nearly 45 percent. While the work is in progress, expect some hoardings and temporary layouts in parts of the terminal, so allow a little extra time to find your way around.
The Public Transport Interchange
The airport's new Public Transport Interchange has opened, built at a cost of around £60m and completed in 2025. It sits on the top level of a new car park and is one of the region's largest bus interchanges, handling roughly 250 public transport movements a day. Services using it include the A1 Airport Flyer to Bristol, buses to Weston-super-Mare and Bath, and connections to the South West, South Wales, Gloucestershire and Birmingham.
For passengers, the interchange is the single point to catch or leave a bus or coach. If you have used the airport before the rebuild, note that the bus and coach stops are now concentrated here, so follow the signs for the interchange rather than looking for older stop locations.
The Long Stay car park is still closed
The knock-on effect for drivers is that the dedicated Long Stay car park is closed for the upgrade and the interchange rebuild, and is due to reopen in spring 2026. Until it does, Silver Zone, the budget park-and-ride from roughly £6.62 per day pre-booked, is the main long-stay option, with a free shuttle to the terminal every 15 minutes around the clock. If you are used to booking Long Stay, switch to Silver Zone for now and book ahead, since gate prices run much higher than pre-booked rates; see the Silver Zone guide for how it works.
What it means for your trip right now
- Give yourself extra time in the terminal while construction continues, especially in the busy 05:00 to 08:00 morning bank.
- Use the Public Transport Interchange for all bus and coach services, including the 24-hour Flyer.
- Book Silver Zone rather than Long Stay for budget parking until spring 2026.
- Expect more shops, food outlets and baggage reclaim capacity as the extension opens in stages.
The airport has also spoken of longer-term growth ambitions beyond 12 million passengers, but those plans were not confirmed in detail in our sources, so treat any figure past the current 12 million target as provisional.
Frequently asked questions
What is Bristol Airport building in 2026? A £30m two-storey terminal extension to lift capacity to 12 million passengers, alongside a new Public Transport Interchange that has already opened and a Long Stay car park rebuild.
When does the Bristol Airport terminal extension open? Work is under way in 2026 as part of a wider investment programme. It will open in stages, adding circulation space, more shops and food outlets, and extra baggage reclaim capacity.
Is the Long Stay car park open at Bristol Airport? No. It is closed for the upgrade and interchange rebuild, due to reopen in spring 2026. Silver Zone park-and-ride, from roughly £6.62 per day pre-booked, is the main budget option meanwhile.
What is the Bristol Airport Public Transport Interchange? A new bus and coach hub, built for around £60m on the top level of a new car park, handling about 250 public transport movements a day. All bus and coach services, including the Flyer, use it.
Will Bristol Airport get bigger than 12 million passengers? The current programme targets 12 million. The airport has referred to longer-term ambitions, but those were not confirmed in detail in our sources, so treat larger figures as provisional.
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Last verified August 2026 by the Bristol Airport Guide editorial team. Prices and timetables change, so confirm the specifics on the official Bristol Airport website before you travel.