Edinburgh Airport has unveiled a £500m investment programme to expand its terminal and improve facilities over the next five years.

The investment also includes improvements across the airport campus, with additional electric vehicle infrastructure and a new access road.

First Minister John Swinney visited the airport's South East Pier expansion, the first phase of the development due to open in summer 2027.

Swinney said: "This significant investment will enable Edinburgh Airport to compete with airports around the world.

"Alongside delivering real benefits to passengers, this boost will support Scotland's international connections and help drive economic growth.

"Scotland is open for business and we want to maintain and strengthen Scotland's position as the most attractive place in the UK for inward investment outside of London and the South East."

Edinburgh Airport is Scotland's busiest airport and served about 17 million passengers in 2025.

It has 39 airlines and flying to more than 160 destinations, including major hubs in the UK, Europe, USA, and the Middle and Far East

Chief executive Gordon Dewar said: "This is the biggest investment in Edinburgh Airport's history and comes at one of the most exciting points in its development, adding another important chapter to its story.

"This is the first phase of a multi-year plan that ensures we are building for our future, creating the capacity, capability and customer experience we need and want."

The airport is jointly-owned by Vinci Airports, which has a 50.01% stake, and Global Infrastructure Partners managing the remaining 49.99%

Vinci is the world's biggest private airport operator, with more than 70 airports in 14 countries.

Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), part of BlackRock, is an investor that specialises in energy, transport and digital infrastructure.

The £500m announcement came on the same day as a "technical issue" with air traffic control in Scotland brought flight delays at Edinburgh and several other UK airports.

The air traffic service control service Nats said engineers had fixed the problem at its Prestwick centre, which handles air traffic control across Scotland and the north of England.

Nats said the issue was not related to a software defect that led to the cancellation of 2,000 flights across the UK earlier this month.