Shanghai Hongqiao Airport's expansion has just been approved by the National Development and Reform Commission.

The entire investment for this project will top RMB15.3 billion, and renovations include a new 3300-meter runway, a new 250,000 sqm flight building and some other public facilities. The project is designed to handle 40 million annual passengers by 2015.

Shanghai Hongqiao Airport is one of the three biggest airports in China, and airline companies such as China Eastern, Shanghai Airlines and Spring Airlines have their bases at the airport.

With a current annual capacity of 9.6 million travelers, it has a 3400-meter runway and one flight building. But in 2006, the airport received 19 million passengers, which is much more than its capacity, so the expansion project becomes necessary for this airport.