Airports have evolved far beyond mere transit hubs.
As passenger expectations shift, driven by heightened demands for convenience, unique experiences, and enhanced connectivity, leading airports are reimagining their land-side areas as strategic differentiators. Singapore’s Changi Airport – specifically its pioneering Jewel development – exemplifies the tremendous value airports can unlock by creatively utilizing land-side spaces.
Opened in April 2019, Jewel Changi Airport has redefined global standards for airport land-side development. This ambitious $1.25 billion initiative encapsulates Singapore’s aspiration to position Changi as not just a travel gateway but a vibrant urban hub.
Occupying a 135,700 square-meter footprint, Jewel seamlessly integrates retail, dining, entertainment, hospitality, and nature – housing approximately 280 retail and dining outlets alongside a 130-room YOTELAIR hotel.
At its heart stands the Rain Vortex, the world’s tallest indoor waterfall at 40 meters, surrounded by the lush Shiseido Forest Valley, encompassing 2,000 trees and 100,000 shrubs from around the world.
In 2019 alone, Jewel drew approximately 50 million visitors – a figure highlighting the profound appeal and strategic significance of thoughtfully planned airport land-side areas.
Such innovative use of land enhances passenger experience, increases dwell time, and boosts non-aeronautical revenue streams significantly. Prior to the pandemic, commercial revenue at Changi constituted approximately 50% of total airport revenue – a remarkable benchmark reflecting the strategic importance of land-side developments like Jewel.
Gulf’s hub airports: opportunities and constraints In contrast, Gulf-based airports, although spectacular in air-side infrastructure and airline connectivity, historically have lagged in leveraging land-side opportunities.
Consider Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Doha’s Hamad International Airport (DOH). Both represent highly successful aviation gateways, primarily owing to their extensive networks connecting Europe, Africa, and Asia, superb operational efficiency, and luxurious terminals. Yet, neither airport has fully capitalized on the potential of integrated land-side facilities comparable to Jewel Changi.
Geographic constraints, climate extremes, and traditional urban planning have limited Gulf airports’ ability to expand meaningful land-side experiences. Most activities remain confined within air-conditioned indoor spaces or restricted to airside lounges and terminals. This constrains opportunities for diverse leisure experiences and ancillary revenue generation from broader visitor segments.
A strategic blueprint: Unlocking Gulf airports land-side potential To remain competitive over the next decade, Gulf hubs must revisit their approach to land-side development. The proven success of Jewel demonstrates clear pathways for innovation:
- Integrating leisure with commerce: Airports should curate compelling, culturally authentic entertainment offerings, fostering connections with urban communities and attracting non-traveling visitors. Retail, dining, and leisure partnerships can leverage the region’s vibrant hospitality industry, creating year-round attraction points.
- Climate-adaptive infrastructure: Given the regional climate constraints, Gulf airports should adopt climate-responsive architecture, mirroring Jewel’s strategic integration of indoor greenery and temperature-controlled public spaces. Embracing sustainability in design can simultaneously improve passenger comfort and operational efficiency.
- Diversified revenue streams: Gulf airports rely predominantly on aeronautical revenue. Strategic investments in landside attractions, hotels, events, and conventions will boost ancillary revenue, stabilizing airport finances against aviation volatility. Diversification of revenue, exemplified by Jewel’s retail-driven earnings, will safeguard long-term financial resilience.
The competitive imperative
The aviation landscape is evolving rapidly, and airports increasingly represent critical nodes in global urban infrastructure rather than mere gateways. As air travel rebounds and intensifies, travelers will prioritize seamless experiences, diverse entertainment, and convenience as much as flight connectivity and terminal efficiency.
Singapore Changi’s Jewel showcases the tremendous advantage airports gain from innovative land-side investments. For Gulf hubs, emulating aspects of this pioneering approach – while tailoring to local contexts – will prove indispensable in cementing their status as global aviation leaders. Failure to capitalize on these land-side opportunities risks ceding competitive advantage to visionary airports elsewhere.
Indeed, the future of airports depends on seeing beyond runways and terminals. It lies in reimagining the total passenger journey, from curb side to aircraft door – and the airports in the Gulf must rise swiftly to meet this emerging reality.
