Delivering clarity, comfort and “quality of stay” – On location at the new Frankfurt Airport Terminal 3

GERMANY. Fraport Group and business partners today began a new chapter in the history of Frankfurt Airport with the official opening of the expansive Terminal 3. Passenger operations begin on Thursday 23 April with a phased transition of airlines from Terminal 2 over coming months.

T3 can serve around 19 million passengers a year and is home to 64 commercial and services outlets in 12,000sq m of space.

The Moodie Davitt Report was among the guests at a pre-opening event for business partners in the Non-Schengen airside zone on Monday (click here for our initial pictorial report), and discovered a light, airy, human-scale facility with a spectacular vaulted central concourse space, good visibility and intuitive wayfinding, a well-integrated retail and dining offer with a diverse global and local mix of brands, plus an eye-catching art programme dotted through the terminal, both landside and airside.

Speaking to guests at the Monday evening event, Fraport CEO Dr Stefan Schulte said: “This makes a statement for our aviation market in Germany and for Frankfurt Airport. It has a great welfare factor for our passengers, a great marketplace… and allows us to make more efficient use of space.” Click on our podcast below for more from the CEO.

A highlight of the airside arena is the central marketplace across 6,000sq m which contains 30 retail outlets, including two food courts, each of which has 300sq m of seating, plus a bar with a further 250sq m of seating.

Fraport Member of the Executive Board responsible for Retail and Real Estate Julia Kranenberg told us, “A guiding principle for us was the passenger experience, from arrival at the terminal to check-in to waiting, shopping, dining and boarding.

“We have thought the experience through thoroughly and it features the greatest airport marketplace in Europe in our view.”

Kranenberg later said in an on-stage Q&A that she had “already fallen in love” with the new T3, and that its success would come about due to its planning through the lens of the customer. “We have moments of surprise and moments of warmth at every touchpoint, with our processes allowing customers the dwell time to enjoy our marketplace. Our carefully curated shops and restaurants make you feel cosy and embraced.

“It is very international but also surprisingly German, with some things you expect and others you don’t expect.”

Kranenberg summed up “quality of stay” created by the blend of consumer touchpoints as a central feature of the T3 experience.

Click on the Podcast link above to hear Fraport Members of the Executive Board talk about their impressions of Terminal 3 in conversation with moderator, German TV presenter and actress Hadnet Tesfai. 

Duty free & Travel Value – an anchor for retail

Frankfurt Airport Retail (FAR) – the joint venture between Fraport and Gebr. Heinemann –manages 3,000sq m of bright, elegant shopping space targeting the diverse global audience using the terminal.

At the centre of its offer is the 1,732sq m flagship duty-free store, with an extensive range across beauty, spirits & wine, confectionery, tobacco, toys and sunglasses.

Highlights include a dedicated area for high-end niche fragrances, a Habanos walk-in humidor and a curated selection of regional specialities.

T3 is also home to a new cross-category multi-sensory activation concept by the JV partners – the Liquor, Tobacco, Confectionery (LTC) Beacon.

It makes its debut at a central point within the Non-Schengen store, and is designed as a traffic-stopping attraction that draws travellers into and guides them through the retail space.

A vibrant LED ring encircling the Beacon weighs about 100kg and consists of 132 individual tiles. The concept combines a tasting bar with supplier activation tools, a gifting area as well as tasting and sampling. The first supplier partners represented are Henkell Freixenet with Schloss Johannisberg, Diageo with Johnnie Walker, plus Godiva and Davidoff Geneva.

Overall, the FAR store houses broad, open layouts, easy sightlines and design inspired by the region surrounding Frankfurt and the river Main.

Close by is the latest outstanding iteration of the GateZero concept in a stand-alone space, developed by Gebr. Heinemann. This is aimed at a young target audience with a well curated, trend-driven assortment of international brands, including Acne Studios, Off-White, Comme de Garcons, Veja and Fugazzi as well as pre-loved items, and even a T3-exclusive wine, JuWel.

The opening of the FAR retail spaces in T3 is accompanied by a launch campaign with strong local relevance. Highlights include Frankfurt-branded gifts with purchase, exclusive T3 and Frankfurt-inspired product editions as well as an interactive augmented-reality activation.

Via a QR-code based game, travellers can discover Frankfurt landmarks within the shop and receive rewards at checkout, with the goal of blending digital engagement with the in-person retail journey.

The F&B journey – from Germany to the world

Avolta and Lagardère Travel Retail manage 22 F&B spaces between them, with a neat blend of local, regional and global flavours and something for all wallet sizes. The airport company said it appointed two major F&B partners both for competition and to ensure a variety of approach across the terminal.

Avolta has 12 units across 1,400sq m in the Non-Schengen Central Marketplace, the Schengen Pier and the Departures Hall. Brands include Espresso House, Sophia Loren, Brew’d, Asia Street Cooking, Origin Bar & Eatery, Brot. By Axel Schmitt (a bespoke concept for T3 from well-known German bread sommelier Axel Schmitt), Hausmann’s, Brewgate and Amore Mobilo.

Lagardère Travel Retail brings together nine food concepts across the Non-Schengen Central Marketplace, the Non-Schengen Pier and the Arrivals Hall. These include the latest Burger King airport concept along with the following exclusive premieres:

• Neni Deli: A debut for the Levantine-Mediterranean cuisine concept in collaboration with the Molcho family;
• EL&N London: The popular Instagram hotspot from London marks its first appearance at a German airport;
• Main Bissen: Regional Frankfurt classics, interpreted in a contemporary and modern way;
• Zigolini: Italian homemade pizza, focaccia and tramezzini;
• Bread & Bite: Described as “a homage to the classic sandwich”, with freshly baked bread and seasonal ingredients.

These new offerings are complemented by Haferkater, Daily Deli and Brezelmeister units. In addition, Lagardère Travel Retail is strengthening its presence as the key partner for travel essentials at Frankfurt Airport with six Relay stores in T3.

German TV presenter and actress Hadnet Tesfai speaks with three key partners about the impact of T3 on the guest experience. Click on the icon above to hear more. 

The Relay assortment (below) ranges from press products and books to travel essentials, toys, souvenirs, coffee and other beverages, a selection of electronic items plus tobacco and vaping products.

Accessible luxury and destination appeal

Luxury is pitched at an accessible level through a series of own-brand boutiques that include MaxMara’s Weekend concept, Boss, Longchamp, Montblanc, Sunglass Hut, Tumi and Victoria’s Secret, alongside jeweller Christ and hosiery and other accessories from popular German brand Falke – which extends its presence at the airport with a stand-alone store in T3.

The Germany On My Mind and Germany’s Selection stores, both run by the Wöllhaf Group, contribute a memorable and modern interpretation of the country through a destination offer that spans souvenirs, food, accessories, design and lifestyle goods for all ages, with some neat spaces for Instagrammable moments.

Across both luxury and destination one can find many items developed for the airport and for T3 specifically, which adds a neat sense of place.

Elsewhere, electronics specialist Capi has opened its two latest shops in T3’s marketplace and in Pier J, with a range that blends leading brands such as Apple, GoPro, Bose & JBL alongside travel retail exclusives, in a bright, airy interior with touches of natural wood in the design. Highlights include ‘pulse points’ to spotlight products and encourage engagement, with the headphone bar a stand-out feature.

A premium stage for advertising

Media Frankfurt has created its own impressive advertising stage with 223 locations across more than 2,500sq m – ranging from large-format digital and static installations to custom formats and promotional spaces.

Highlights include large-format digital installations at high-frequency hubs: the ‘Digital Icons’ at check-in each measure 120sq m and build a strong first impression upon entering the terminal. These are among the largest indoor LED screens in Europe, according to Media Frankfurt.

In the central marketplace (pictured above), the ‘Digital Plaza Stars’ ensure strong visibility for brands in the heart of the retail environment across around 60sq m of LED space.

The portfolio is complemented by a comprehensive digital network near the gates as well as in the baggage claim area.

All advertising spaces in T3 were booked at launch via partners that include DZ Bank, Europcar, Honda, Kia and Mastercard.

{Main story continues below the panel.}

Fraport has also introduced an ambitious art programme that leans heavily on well-known German names, from Julius von Bismarck in the check-in zone and the quirky, colourful entranceway to the main marketplace, designed by influential contemporary artist Tobias Rehberger, to a dedicated airside store by Lumas that acts both as gallery and store (pictured below), with shipping available to many countries worldwide.

A strong airline base

Initial users of the new terminal include 57 carriers such as Qatar Airways, Emirates, British Airways, Delta Air Lines and Korean Air, with the transition from T2 occurring over coming months before that older terminal closes for renovations.

From summer 2027, Condor will also relocate from Terminal 1 to the new terminal and become the largest airline at T3.

Fraport highlighted the strong potential spending power of its audience today: 58% of passengers have a household monthly net income of over €4,000, while 30% are business decision-makers. Many direct connections to North America and Asia underline the international relevance of T3 and its audience, said Fraport.

With its clarity of navigation, neat design flourishes, innovation in the shopping and dining offer, brand appeal across generations and a welcome blend of German heroes and global labels, Frankfurt T3 stands tall among the ranks of progressive, human-scale new airport terminals in Europe – as consumers will discover when its doors open for travel on Thursday. ✈