Milan Malpensa commits €30 million to Olympic-readiness programme ahead of Milan-Cortina 2026

ITALY. Milano Malpensa Airport has unveiled a €30 million investment programme to upgrade its infrastructure in preparation for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic (6-22 February 2026) and Paralympic Games (6-15 March 2026).

The redevelopment is focused on Terminal 1 and aims to ensure operational efficiency and deliver a world-class welcome to athletes, delegations, media and the travelling public.

Although the Games will be held in the low season – from 23 January to 20 March 2026 – passenger traffic at Malpensa is expected to mirror summer peaks. Over the 60-day Olympic period, the airport forecasts welcoming approximately 340,000 passengers.

As the designated Primary Olympic Airport, Malpensa will be a vital gateway for arrivals bound for Milan, Valtellina and other competition venues. Direct air links from Malpensa cover 73% of the participating countries. In the week preceding the opening ceremony, more than 15,500 stakeholders and over 150,000 spectators are expected to arrive via the hub, accounting for 75% of total Olympic visitors.

The investment will deliver a full redesign of T1’s external departure and arrival areas. The arrivals zone will be transformed into a dedicated welcome point for athletes and officials, complete with green landscaping, upgraded lighting, innovative materials and modern passenger facilities, including new seating with integrated charging stations.

At the railway station level, a new bus parking area will be built to optimise ground transport and Olympic traffic flows. Enhancements will also ensure fully accessible routes for athletes and PRM (Passengers with Reduced Mobility), including the removal of all architectural barriers throughout access points to T1. The changes will ensure full autonomy along departure routes and at the arrival’s forecourt.

A critical aspect of the plan includes a specialised baggage handling area for athletes. Designed to manage high volumes of oversized winter sports equipment, the area will include shelving and bespoke systems.

On the projected peak day, 23 February, Malpensa anticipates handling up to 80 skiers, corresponding to over 1,600 ski bags and 1,500 extra-large suitcases. This totals to 4,000 oversized bags – a significant increase compared to the airport’s usual daily average of 300. These volumes include ski bags measuring over 210cm and ski jumping equipment up to 270cm in length.

Further enhancements include the expansion and streamlining of the passport control area and Entry/Exit System corridors. The Ceremonial Lounge, which hosts Heads of State and senior delegations, will also be refurbished.

In addition, all automatic entrance and exit doors in T1 will be replaced, with accompanying upgrades to their surrounding finishes.