Dalian Jinzhou Bay International Airport is the first 4F-class international airport in mainland China to be built on an offshore artificial island, and it is also one of the 102 major projects designated in the national 14th Five-Year Plan. The airport is located in the eastern waters of Jinzhou Bay in Dalian, Liaoning Province, approximately 18 kilometers southwest of Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport and about 23 kilometers south of the city center. Land reclamation has created a land area of about 20.87 square kilometers, of which about 20.29 square kilometers is effectively usable. The project began site selection studies in 2005, construction of the artificial island officially started in 2012, and in 2022 the project was jointly approved by the State Council and the Central Military Commission. In October 2023, it was officially named "Dalian Jinzhou Bay International Airport" and a construction kickoff meeting was held. Full-scale construction began in June 2024, and the main works are expected to be completed in 2028.

The current phase of the airport is designed to handle an annual passenger throughput of 43 million, cargo and mail throughput of 550,000 tonnes, and 330,000 aircraft movements. Two widely spaced parallel runways are planned: the north runway will be 3,600 meters long and the south runway 3,400 meters long, both 45 meters wide. The airfield is rated 4F, capable of accommodating all current large long-haul wide-body airliners. The terminal building has a floor area of 500,000 square meters and adopts a "double radial" configuration, with a central main hall connected to six boarding concourses and 77 contact stands; after security screening, passengers need walk only 320 meters to the farthest gate. Long-term plans call for two additional runways and a further 400,000 square meters of terminal space, bringing the total terminal area to 900,000 square meters to meet demand for 80 million annual passengers, 1.5 million tonnes of cargo and mail, and 540,000 aircraft movements, ultimately forming a giant offshore airport hub with four runways and three terminals.

The airport island will be seamlessly connected to the city and to Dalian North Railway Station and Dalian Bay Passenger Transport Station via three cross-sea links and Dalian Metro Lines 1 and 5, creating an integrated transport hub combining aviation, high-speed rail, urban rail and highways. This is of great significance for enhancing Dalian's functions as an international shipping center, international logistics center and regional financial center in Northeast Asia. During construction, the project team completed 12 national-level approvals, including project initiation, master planning, feasibility study and sea use, within 28 months, setting a record for civil aviation approvals. At peak, 263,300 cubic meters of reclamation were placed in a single day, with a cumulative total of about 187 million cubic meters, creating 19.87 square kilometers of land, or 98.9 percent of the total. The pile foundation works for the terminal, comprising 2,465 engineering piles, have been poured, laying the foundation for construction of the main structure.

At present, site leveling and tower crane foundation construction are under way for the terminal main works. To date, concrete base slabs have been poured in the terminal core area and Concourses C and E, and rebar tying for vertical structural columns is in progress. In addition, the second batch of preliminary design and budget estimate review meetings has been successfully held, covering the airfield works, cargo and maintenance areas, and on-island municipal supporting works. The reclamation works have also been successfully completed. This means that Dalian Jinzhou Bay International Airport will achieve full-scale construction this year, laying a solid foundation for opening to traffic in 2028.