Honestly, if you grew up in Hong Kong during the 90s, you remember the sound. That low-frequency roar of a Boeing 747-400 passing so close to your apartment balcony that you could practically see what the passengers were having for dinner. It was the "Checkerboard Approach." It was terrifying. It was legendary.
But it's been nearly 30 years since the last flight departed for Chek Lap Kok in 1998. If you show up at the old site today, expecting to find a hollowed-out concrete ghost town, you’re in for a shock. Kai Tak airport now isn't a relic; it’s a massive, multi-billion dollar construction site that’s finally starting to look like a real neighborhood.
Basically, the planes are gone, but the drama is still very much alive.
The Sports Park Is the New Heartbeat
Walking onto the former north apron today, the first thing that hits you is the sheer scale of the Kai Tak Sports Park. It officially opened its doors in March 2025, and it has already flipped the script on Hong Kong's entertainment scene. We aren't just talking about a few local soccer pitches here.
The Main Stadium seats 50,000 people. It has a retractable roof and a "pearl of the orient" design that glistens in the humid Kowloon sun. Since the grand opening, it has already hosted global heavyweights like Coldplay and Jay Chou. In fact, within its first nine months of operation, the stadium reportedly ranked third globally in ticket sales—moving over 1.2 million tickets. That’s insane for a place that used to be a runway.
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There’s also the Kai Tak Arena, an indoor venue for 10,000 fans, and the Youth Sports Ground. If you're into local sports, you've probably seen the occupancy rates hitting 90%. It’s become the go-to spot for everything from the Hong Kong Sevens to community track meets.
The Runway Is Now a Green Highway
The most iconic part of the old airport—the physical runway that extended into Victoria Harbour—is barely recognizable. It’s now the "Runway Area," a skinny strip of some of the most expensive real estate in the world.
At the very tip sits the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, designed by Foster + Partners. It looks like a futuristic silver spaceship docked at the pier. While it had a rocky start (critics called it a "white elephant" for years), the rooftop park is actually one of the best spots in the city for a sunset. It’s 23,000 square meters of green space with a 270-degree view of the harbor.
Connecting the terminal back to the mainland is the Kai Tak Sky Garden. It’s an elevated walkway that mimics the shape of a plane’s fuselage. It’s cool, kinda breezy, and filled with "Instagrammable" spots that reference the aviation history of the site.
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Transport: The "Smart and Green" Gamble
One of the biggest gripes about Kai Tak now is getting there. For a while, it felt like a dead end. But as of late 2025, the government finally pulled the trigger on the Smart and Green Mass Transit System (SGMTS).
They’ve opened the tender for a 3.5km elevated system that will connect the Cruise Terminal to the MTR Kai Tak Station. It’s going to have six stations, including stops at the Sports Park and the Metro Park. The goal is to have it running by 2031. Is it a long wait? Yeah. But it’s a massive step up from the "hope a bus shows up" strategy they had previously.
Living the High Life (Literally)
If you look at the skyline of Kai Tak today, it’s a forest of glass. Residential towers like OASIS KAI TAK and GRANDE MONACO have turned this into a high-end residential hub.
It’s weird to think that people are now paying $18,000+ per square foot to sleep in the exact spot where Cathay Pacific pilots used to sweat through their shirts while making that 47-degree turn. The area is being marketed as "CBD2"—Hong Kong's second central business district. With the completion of AIRSIDE, a 1.2 million square foot Grade A office tower, the "business" part of that promise is finally showing up.
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Why It Matters in 2026
- The Metro Park: When finished, it will be 1.3 times the size of Victoria Park.
- The Underground Street: One of the longest underground shopping streets in the world is being built here, connecting the MTR stations to the residential zones.
- Sustainability: The district uses a "District Cooling System" that saves about 35% more electricity than traditional AC units.
What Most People Get Wrong
People often think Kai Tak is just a park now. It's not. It’s a "City Within a City" designed for 153,000 residents. It’s a massive urban experiment in how to turn a narrow strip of reclaimed land into a functioning society.
Is it perfect? Not yet. The connectivity is still a work in progress, and parts of the southern apron still feel like a construction zone. But the days of Kai Tak being a "ghost airport" are officially over.
Actionable Next Steps for Visitors
If you're planning to head down to the Kai Tak development area this weekend, here is how to actually spend your time without getting lost:
- Take the MTR to Kai Tak Station (Tuen Ma Line): Exit towards the Station Square. It’s a massive open plaza that leads directly to the shopping malls.
- Visit AIRSIDE for Lunch: It’s the newest hub with a ton of dining options and a focus on sustainability. They even have an indoor surfing simulator if you're feeling adventurous.
- Walk the Sky Garden: Head toward the runway. It’s a long walk, so wear comfortable shoes. The aviation-themed design is great for photos.
- Catch a Sunset at the Cruise Terminal Park: Take a bus or taxi to the very end of the runway. The view of the Hong Kong Island skyline from here is arguably better than the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade because it’s less crowded.
- Check the Sports Park Calendar: If there’s a game or a concert at the Kai Tak Stadium, expect the MTR to be packed. Plan your exit strategy early.