There will be almost double the number of shops and restaurants
Maxine Denton Senior Reporter
21:44, 01 Dec 2025Updated 21:47, 01 Dec 2025
A generated image of what Bristol Airport will look like after its terminal transformation(Image: Bristol Airport)
Work is about to start on Bristol Airport’s £60 million new departure lounge which will create more space and double the number of shops and restaurants, including new premium retail and dining options.
A total of 17 new units will be incorporated into the design, including some premium retail brands and dining options as well as a hidden speakeasy bar. There will also be space for island retail units and more seating.
The assisted travel lounge will also be double the size and include tables so that customers are able to sit, eat and work comfortably.
It will be located in the heart of the departure lounge and include accessible toilets and changing facility, which is a much larger washroom with equipment including a hoist, height adjustable changing bench suitable for adults, grab rails, shower and curtain, with plenty of room for carers and wheelchair users.
A generated image of what Bristol Airport will look like after its terminal transformation(Image: Bristol Airport)
As part of the transformation there will also be a baby feeding room and more washrooms, all being designed with input from the Airport’s Accessibility Forum that meets regularly throughout the year. It also offered valuable input into the Public Transport Interchange that opened this summer.
The arrivals hall is also benefitting from a new domestic arrivals reclaim area with an additional baggage carousel. Capacity will increase by 20%. Accessibility in immigration will also be improved with new lifts and stairs.
Kate Gwyther, head of retail at Bristol Airport, said: “We’re excited about what’s coming. The new departure lounge will be bright and spacious where customers can relax, explore a variety of new shops, and enjoy a wider range of dining options to suit every schedule, taste and budget. It’s all designed to make the holiday feel like it starts the moment passengers arrive.”
A generated image of what Bristol Airport will look like after its terminal transformation(Image: Bristol Airport)
Customers will notice hoarding as the airport begins work on the terminal transformation in the departure lounge, which will take place over the next three years.
Soul and Grain has temporarily closed while it relocates from the upper level to the lower level. Tortilla has also temporarily closed with both re-opening mid December.
The assisted travel lounge will relocate but will remain close to the exit of World Duty Free. Bristol Airport said customers should expect some construction noise, but it will be kept to a minimum where possible.
As part of the terminal transformation plan, next generation security was installed last year. Since then, the airport said the average queue time during the first wave of flights in the morning is less than 13 minutes.
This summer the Public Transport Interchange opened with more than double the amount of bus bays, dedicated bus stops, digital information boards, a second multi-storey car park, more spacious toilet facilities including a family room and a new, bigger and better M&S. And the departure lounge has seen Alembic, a new world tapas pop up restaurant, and Escape, a new executive lounge, open.