Beijing’s highly anticipated second international airport has been completed. The new airport was designed to relieve pressure from the overcrowded Beijing Capital International Airport and is expected to become one of the busiest airports in the world. 

Located to the south of the city, Beijing Daxing International Airport is expected to handle 72 million passengers a year by 2025, and 100 million by 2040. According to official estimates, the two airports will transport 170 million travelers annually by 2025.

“The new airport is a landmark project for China’s 70th anniversary of National Day, built to very high standards,” said Ivan Zhou, an analyst with BOC International Holdings in Hong Kong, told Bloomberg, “It’ll help optimize flight schedules from Beijing and attract more passengers.”

Zhou said that the new $12.9 billion airport will add flight routes at a faster pace than Beijing Capital International Airport. It will also help China Eastern and China Southern to increase their presence in Beijing.

With China’s growing middle class contributing to a worldwide travel boom, it’s expected that by 2022 China will replace the U.S as the largest aviation market. With the opening of Daxing, Beijing can now join other major cities such as London, New York, and Tokyo, that hold the distinction of having multiple international airports.

The official Xinhua News Agency reported that operations at Beijing’s new international airport will begin by the end of September following six major test runs. China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines will start flying from the airport later this year. According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the transition is expected to be completed by Winter 2021.