Xi'an Xianyang International Airport marked the official opening of its T5 Terminal with the arrival of China Eastern Airlines flight MU2204 from Kashgar, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, at 12:07 am on Feb 20.

The exterior of Xi'an Xianyang International Airport's T5 Terminal. [Photo/Xi'an Daily]

The airport's third-phase expansion is Shaanxi province's top civil aviation project and a national benchmark project supported by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

As a key expansion component, the T5 Terminal covers 700,000 square meters and features a "main hall + six corridors" layout. It takes roughly eight minutes to walk from the terminal center to the farthest boarding gate, which is 600 meters away.

The self-service check-in facilities in the airport's T5 Terminal. [Photo/Xi'an Daily]

The dual-level departure and arrival design enables domestic and international passengers to depart from the same level without floor changes.

T5 Terminal offers a fully intelligent boarding experience. Checked luggage takes an average of seven minutes to process, with the fastest time being just five minutes and 18 seconds. Facial recognition systems shorten security clearance to about eight minutes, and smart service robots and intelligent restrooms also enhance passenger convenience.

The T5 Terminal museum features ancient-style buildings. [Photo/Xi'an Daily]

T5 also houses the world's first in-terminal museum, showcasing artifacts discovered during the airport's construction. It also features China's largest ancient-style commercial complex in an airport, inspired by the layout of ancient Chang'an and the Daming Palace during the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

Once the airport's third-phase expansion is fully completed, it will accommodate an annual passenger throughput of 83 million and a cargo and mail throughput of 1 million metric tons, making it a comprehensive transportation hub integrating air, rail, and road transport.