Milan Malpensa, Terminal 1 grows northwards with the T1XL project
Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) is launching a new phase of Terminal 1 development with the T1XL project, a €100 million project promoted by SEA Milan Airports to increase the capacity of the areas dedicated to international passengers and make flows between arrivals and departures more fluid.
The project involves the expansion of the airport northwards, with about 15,000 m² of new spaces and the redevelopment of over 28,000 m² of existing areas.
The intervention is part of the broader transformation process of Malpensa Terminal 1 and particularly affects the Extra-Schengen processes, which are currently among the most sensitive in terms of capacity and flow management.
The official SEA documentation on the investment plan confirms that the T1XL project was created precisely to strengthen passport controls on arrival and departure and expand the operational spaces of the terminal.
More space at passport control
One of the main interventions concerns the expansion of the areas for passport control, with an increase in both manual stations and automatic e-gates. The reorganization aims to make the route of non-Schengen passengers more efficient and to reduce congestion points in the busiest periods.
The Extra-Schengen baggage reclaim hall will also be expanded on the arrivals level, with three new belts that will bring the total from five to eight. There will also be a belt dedicated to oversized luggage, with the aim of reducing manual handling and speeding up redelivery.
New shopping arcade and Extra-Schengen square
On the services front, T1XL will increase the total area for shops, restaurants and services in the departures area to around 3,800 m².
A new shopping mall will be built before passport control, while after the controls, Travellers will access a new Extra-Schengen waiting area, designed as one of the central spaces of the future Terminal 1. Seats, information monitors, a new duty free and additional services are planned to make waiting before boarding more comfortable.
Sustainability and accessibility
The new extension will be designed according to the BREEAM certification scheme and will include energy and water saving solutions, the use of materials compliant with the Minimum Environmental Criteria and photovoltaic systems on the roofs of the adjacent parking lots.
Particular attention will also be paid to accessibility, with barrier-free paths and clearer and more intuitive signage to facilitate orientation within the terminal.
First openings in 2027, completion in 2028
Work began in December 2025 and will develop over about three years. In summer 2027, the new passport control areas for arriving passengers, the expanded baggage reclaim hall, the new passport control for departing Travellers and a first part of the shopping arcade are scheduled to open. The project is expected to be completed in 2028, with the opening of the new Extra-Schengen square.
