A $1bn expansion to take Tunis-Carthage airport to 18.5 million passengers

Tunisia plans to expand Tunis-Carthage International Airport at an estimated cost of around TND 3bn (close to $1bn), under an air-transport modernisation plan announced in March 2026.

The expansion raises annual capacity from 5 million passengers to 18.5 million by 2031, and includes building and equipping a new passenger terminal of about 80,000 square metres handling roughly 11 million travellers a year, with additional check-in counters and security lanes.

The project is included in the 2026 investment budget of the Office of Civil Aviation and Airports. Authorities have for now abandoned plans to build a new airport, focusing instead on a comprehensive upgrade of Tunis-Carthage, with aviation infrastructure seen as key to strengthening the tourism sector.