Shenzhen Airport has officially entered the three-runway era.
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Photo courtesy of Shenzhen Airport
On December 2, 2025, Civil Aviation Resource Network reported that Shenzhen Airport's third runway officially commenced operation on November 29. At 10:08 AM that day, Shenzhen Airlines flight ZH9103 successfully took off from the third runway, and at 10:13 AM, China Southern Airlines flight CZ3590 landed smoothly on the third runway, becoming the first flight to take off and the first to land after the third runway's operation began.
Photo courtesy of Shenzhen Airport
With the official operation of its third runway, Shenzhen Airport has fully entered the "three-runway era," ushering in a multiple leap forward in hub capacity, support capabilities, operational efficiency, and development space. This not only provides strong support for the construction of a regional gateway-oriented, multi-functional international aviation hub but also injects new vitality into the construction of the world-class airport cluster in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Smart Construction + Innovative Applications
Empowering Construction Efficiency and Project Quality
Shenzhen Airport's first runway was put into operation in 1991 with the airport's opening, and the second runway was completed and put into operation in 2011. Before the third runway was put into operation, Shenzhen Airport was one of the busiest dual-runway airports in China, handling a peak of 428,000 flights annually, with a peak daily flight volume exceeding 1,300 flights.
The third runway at Shenzhen Airport is a major national "14th Five-Year Plan" project and a key project of Guangdong Province. Located between the second runway and the Guangzhou-Shenzhen Riverside Expressway, it is 3,600 meters long and 45 meters wide, with a 4F flight zone rating, the highest level, capable of accommodating the takeoff and landing needs of various large passenger aircraft.
Since the completion of land reclamation and soft soil foundation treatment in June 2024, the three-runway project has entered the main airport construction phase. During the construction process, with the support and guidance of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the CAAC Central and Southern Regional Administration, the CAAC Central and Southern Air Traffic Management Bureau, the CAAC Shenzhen Regulatory Bureau, and relevant provincial and municipal departments, Shenzhen Airport has focused on "smart construction" and "innovative applications," promoting the project construction to a high standard. It has widely applied intelligent paving and concrete production ERP systems, and was the first in China to fully adopt the "Shenzhen Barrel Light" model for runways and taxiways. It has also implemented advanced technologies such as fully prefabricated cable wells, significantly improving construction efficiency. In December 2024, the main runway was fully connected in just 98 days. Since 2025, with the strong support of relevant units in the civil aviation industry and the Shenzhen Municipal Development and Reform Commission, the Shenzhen Municipal Transportation Bureau, the Shenzhen Municipal State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, the Qianhai Authority, and Bao'an District, Shenzhen Airport has overcome difficulties, seized construction opportunities, and accelerated construction at full speed. Key milestones such as the lighting of navigation aids, flight calibration, final acceptance, test flights, and industry acceptance have all been completed ahead of schedule.
Regarding quality control, the airport has deeply integrated BIM technology with on-site measured data to establish a traceable engineering quality assessment and management system. This system, supplemented by digital compaction, digital paving, material monitoring, and mix proportion monitoring, has achieved refined and visualized control over the entire project process, significantly improving construction quality. The innovative exploration of multi-scenario integrated applications such as "BIM+GIS" and "BIM+Digital Paving" has accumulated valuable experience for the digital and intelligent construction of civil aviation engineering.
Photo courtesy of Shenzhen Airport
In terms of technical performance, Shenzhen Airport's three runways strictly adhere to international advanced standards. The runway surfaces undergo special processing to significantly enhance the friction coefficient, improving the safety of takeoffs and landings for various large aircraft under diverse weather conditions. The runways are equipped with advanced high-precision navigation systems, providing comprehensive and accurate guidance for flights in complex weather conditions. A safe and reliable navigation lighting system is also in place, providing aircraft with clear visual references for runway outlines, approach paths, and landing areas in complex weather conditions such as low visibility during the day or at night. Furthermore, the runways have proactively incorporated FOD (Flight of Detection) detection systems and runway status light control systems, further strengthening flight safety.
To ensure the safe and smooth operation of the three runways, with the support and guidance of industry authorities, Shenzhen Airport, in conjunction with Shenzhen Air Traffic Control Station and other units, successfully completed key operational preparations such as flight procedure design submission, aeronautical data submission, and airport license review, laying a solid foundation for successful operation.
Three Runways Operating in Synergy
Airport Capacity and Operational Efficiency Both Improved
Driven by the economic and social vitality of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Shenzhen Airport's core aviation business has developed rapidly in recent years. In 2024, the airport's annual passenger traffic exceeded 60 million for the first time. In 2025, the airport's annual passenger throughput is expected to exceed 65 million, and its annual cargo and mail throughput is expected to surpass 2 million tons for the first time. Against the backdrop of continuously increasing business volume, the commissioning of the third runway has become a key infrastructure for Shenzhen Airport to further enhance its hub capacity.
According to reports, the officially operational third runway will operate in synergy with Shenzhen Airport's existing two runways. The runway operation mode will be further optimized, enabling a total of eight operation modes in both north and south directions based on different flight volumes at different times. This will effectively divert takeoffs and landings, alleviate operational pressure, create more favorable conditions for opening more passenger and cargo routes, increasing flight frequency, and improving aviation capacity, and open up broader space for improving airport operational efficiency, flight punctuality, and passenger travel experience.
Photo courtesy of Shenzhen Airport
In addition to the three runways, construction began in August this year on the T2 terminal area, the North Cargo Area, and supporting facilities at Shenzhen Airport. Shenzhen Airport is accelerating the construction of a "3+3+3+1" infrastructure structure, comprising three terminal areas, three cargo areas, three runways, and one satellite terminal. This structure will support a comprehensive leap in the airport's passenger and cargo handling capabilities, enabling it to handle 80 million passengers and 4.5 million tons of cargo annually. It will better serve the development of regional air logistics, international trade, tourism, and high-end manufacturing, forming a closer collaborative development model with Hong Kong and Guangzhou airports, and adding new momentum to the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area airport cluster and high-quality regional development.
A representative from Shenzhen Airport Group stated that Shenzhen Airport will seize the opportunity presented by the commissioning of its third runway to fully grasp the historical opportunities presented by the construction of the Shenzhen Pilot Demonstration Zone of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The airport will accelerate its development into a world-class airport, continuously improve its operational support capabilities, expand its passenger and cargo route network, and comprehensively enhance service quality. It will expedite the realization of "people enjoying convenient travel and goods flowing smoothly," actively creating new advantages and achieving new breakthroughs for the construction of a first-class bay area and the world-class airport cluster in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and for Shenzhen's efforts to accelerate its development into a more globally influential economic center and a modern international metropolis. The airport will fully serve the implementation of major national strategies and the region's economic and social development. (Correspondents: Liu Shaobin, Lin Kelu, Kuang Yingxuan)