The Georgian government has issued a decree to begin rehabilitation and expansion works at Vaziani aerodrome and its infrastructure.
Under the document, the United Airports of Georgia and Sakaeronavigatsia are tasked with carrying out activities needed for the development of the new airport. The decree, signed by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on March 27, amends a 2023 government order, though the content of those amendments remains unknown because government decrees from 2021–2024 are still not publicly available.
The new document confirms that the Ministry of Infrastructure must design and build road infrastructure connecting to the new airport.
The decree also updates the structure of an interagency commission responsible for studying issues related to the project. The commission will be chaired by the Deputy Minister of Economy and will include deputy ministers from the Defense, Interior, Infrastructure, Finance, and Agriculture ministries.
The plan to build a new airport in Tbilisi became public in 2023 during the tenure of former PM Irakli Garibashvili. The project was later reaffirmed by current PM Irakli Kobakhidze, who said that expanding the existing Tbilisi Airport would raise capacity to 15 million passengers, while a new airport could handle up to 19 million.
According to the government’s plan, the Vaziani International Airport should begin receiving passengers in 2029. The first terminal is expected to serve 10 million passengers annually, with full capacity reaching 20 million.
In 2025, the government plans to spend 20 million GEL on preparatory works, followed by 100 million GEL annually from 2025 to 2028 for construction. The total investment value of the project is estimated at $1.2 billion.
While earlier plans suggested the airport could begin operations in 2029, Economy Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili recently stated that the new target is 2031. The operator of the airport will be selected through an international tender, though ownership will remain with the state.
