WSP has developed airport master plans for some of the world’s most iconic airports. An effective master plan is critical to ensure that an airport can meet the demands of future air transportation needs and technological advancement, in a safe, efficient, and sustainable manner; providing a clear roadmap for the future development and growth of an airport.
Airports, from the smallest to the largest, trust WSP to deliver buildable master plans that provide a strategic direction for the development and expansion of an airport, ensuring that future investments and are aligned with their traffic forecast and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) as well as the commercial goals of an airport.
Supporting airports across the globe
WSP is experienced in developing comprehensive long-term plans for the development and expansion of existing airports and new greenfield developments. Our experience ranges from single runway to multiple runway operations, and small general aviation (GA) facilities to international gateways.
WSP has long term partnerships with some of the world’s most iconic airports who return to us for each update to their master plan, which is testament to the high quality and to exceptional standards of our airport master plans. It is important to us to build long-term relationships with our clients and business partners.
A comprehensive planning process
Throughout the development of a master plan, WSP consults and coordinates with various stakeholders, including the airport operator, airlines, regulatory agencies, and local communities to ensure that their inputs are considered, and where appropriate, are incorporated into the planning process so that the final master plan balances the requirements of the client with the needs and concerns of the other stakeholders.
Assessment of needs
We can assess the suitability and capacity of existing facilities and infrastructure to identify and deficiencies or limitations that need to be addressed in the master plan. We can also assess the airport’s airfield operations or passenger terminals to identify bottlenecks and pinch-points that may constrain the airport’s future growth.
Traffic forecasting
Our traffic forecasting experts can devise a forecast of future aviation demand, including passenger and cargo traffic, aircraft movements, peak-period demand, and other key factors that will influence future growth and development of the airport.
Conceptual planning to detailed design and implementation
Based on the traffic forecasts and needs assessment, our airport master planning experts can develop a range of conceptual options for the future development of the airport, including options for expanding terminal facilities, runways, taxiways, and other airside and landside infrastructure. Our experts can produce high-level concept designs through to detailed designs that consider development phasing, capital and operating cost, conflicts with existing operations and risk management.
We work with our clients to evaluate the suitability of concepts against a range of criteria tailored to their requirements, which generally include safety, efficiency, operational disruption during implementation, environmental impact, and cost-effectiveness.
Sustainability is key
We can assemble a team of staff who are experts in a range of environmental specialties to ensure that the master plan minimizes the environmental impacts of project development and future airport operations, such as by identifying strategies for reducing noise, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions, and by outlining mechanisms to protect natural resources and habitats.
Future ready® planning
Airports are constantly evolving, as are the expectations of passengers, airlines and other stakeholders. WSP is at the forefront of developing master plans that consider the next generation of aviation technology and sustainable mobility, such as eVTOL aircraft and the development of urban vertiports.
By pooling expertise from our aviation, sustainability, and urban planning teams, we can work with our clients to develop next-generation aviation facilities that are ready to accommodate future technologies.
Leveraging an airport's potential
Airports are important drivers of socioeconomic growth and development for the regions that they serve, and an effective master plan can help to identify opportunities for maximizing the economic benefits of an airport.
Today, the role of many major airports extends beyond purely facilitating the movement of air passengers and cargo. Many airports have important secondary roles such as transit or commerce hubs for the cities and regions that they serve.
Our master plans consider how airports can maximize aviation and non-aviation uses and suggest how valuable land should best be used to meet the evolving needs of society. For example, we have witnessed how seamless connectivity between high-speed rail and aviation has spread the socioeconomic benefits associated with an airport throughout an entire region. Factoring these principles directly into the master planning process contributes to a development that is equitable and supports the advancement of the communities served by an airport.
Creative solutions to unique challenges
With more than 75 years of experience and having worked with hundreds of airports worldwide, WSP are all too aware that each airport is unique and has its own challenges and characteristics. Our experts are renowned for thinking outside of the box to develop creative solutions to unique problems.
WSP’s aviation planners participate on committees and panels, present at conferences, and author white papers such as Greening Future Flight. For the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) of the National Academies, we completed ACRP Research Report 236: Preparing Your Airport for Electric Aircraft and Hydrogen Technologies, which focuses on our view to industry changes and implications on emerging facility needs. Other ACRP studies include: Airport Collaborative Decision Making (ADCM) to Manage Adverse Conditions (Report 229), Urban Air Mobility: An Airport Perspective (Report 246), Incorporating Emerging Transportation and Ground Access Technologies at Airports (Project 10-33), and many more.
Core services
- Airport master planning
- Purpose and need and alternative evaluation
- Terminal Planning
- New/replacement airport site analyses
- Airfield/airspace analyses
- Financial analyses
- Environmental and sustainability studies
- Preliminary engineering design
- Construction phasing and implementation planning
- Cargo planning
- Heliport/vertiport planning
- Other specialty studies (e.g., SAF & emerging fuels, energy resilience)
