10 Things That Would Make Beijing's New Airport World's Best

Well well well, not satisfied with T3's monster size, construction of Beijing's new massive airport – set to be the world's largest – is well under way and looking good for its 2019 opening. This newest tangle of concrete will touch down in what most expats would consider the "There Be Dragons" portion of the city: Daxing District.

With 60 percent of its foundation complete and less than three years to go, Beijing's clever netizens have yet to come up with a cute nickname – a la the Bird's Nest, the Big Egg, and the Big Pants – that has stuck for this giant new construction, though the running favorite is the Big Starfish (though we might suggest the Big Asterisk or the Big Snowflake or, in an ode to its flesh-colored exterior, the Big Sphincter).

Media accounts indicate that the new terminal will have 78 gates, a hip capsule hotel to catch some shut-eye, as well as a massive train station as large as the Beijing Railway Station underneath, connecting the airport to the Beijing subway and China's national railway system.

Wikipedia's graphic showing the new airport's location (albeit with an outdated terminal design map)

While our advice might be coming a bit too late for the major infrastructure portions of the new airport, here's our list of ideas that should be taken into consideration so that it doesn't suck as badly as our current option, making not only the world's largest but also the world's best airport:

1. A quality food street that encompasses the best of local Chinese and foreign cuisines at reasonable prices.
Why do we have to be stuck with overpriced dross and bad fast food? Why not make the airport showcase the best Beijing (and the world) has to offer. In terms of Chinese food we're thinking Da Dong Roast Duck, Din Tai Fung, Jin Ding Xuan, and perhaps a fourth Zhang Mama outlet. We also really wouldn't mind a Moka Bros or Comptoirs de France outlet, and why not a craft beer stand with Great Leap, Slow Boat and Arrow Factory brews? We also recommend keeping these outlets open 24/7 aka not closing the restaurants and stores at 8pm like T2 tends to do.

2. A souvenir shop that has stuff people would actually want to buy, preferably one that rotates selection.
Sure, there are people who come for that once-in-a-lifetime China trip and will buy any old clichéd crap you serve them because they feel guilty going home empty-handed. But for those of us who actually live in Beijing, why not sell souvenirs that take into account that we pass through the airport more than once. Things like quality books about China, cool Beijing-inspired art, or perhaps some of Plastered 8's most Beijing-y options. Even just opening an H&M would make the new airport better with regards to its shopping experience than the current T1, T2, and T3 shopping options.

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On another note, tickets are now on sale for our October 15-16 Pizza Fest at the Zaha Hadid-designed Wangjing SOHO. Tickets are limited so buy ahead to make sure you don't miss out! Click here to purchase.