Airport Experience® News - ACDBE Issue 2025

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SAN DIEGO INSPIRATION Phase 1 Of SAN’s New Terminal 1 Will Debut Later This Year

BY SARAH BELING

“the need to replace the existing Terminal 1 has evolved over time as passenger volumes have grown beyond the 2.5 million people it comfortably accommodated in its first year of operation in 1967,” says Hall. “Once the Terminal 2 expansion (Green Build) was completed in 2013, the Airport Authority started planning for the replacement of Terminal 1,” at which point they decided to replace, rather than expand the current terminal to meet a projected 39 million travelers by 2035. The project – which broke ground in 2021, opened a new administration building in 2023 and a new parking plaza in 2024 – is scheduled to open the first phase of its approximately 1.16 million square foot terminal in September 2025 and the

an Diego International Airport (SAN)’s interiors will soon match the region’s serene exteriors, as

Above: The $3.8 billion T1 project at San Diego International Airport replaces a cramped, aging facility with a new terminal, the first phase of which will open in September.

S

the airport prepares to complete the first phase of its wide-spanning New Terminal 1 project. SAN, located in San Diego’s downtown area, has a small footprint and limited options for expansion; nevertheless, the new facility will expand the number of gates and concessions offerings to accommodate growth. The $3.8 billion undertaking will create an entirely new Terminal 1 to replace SAN’s original facility, says Nicole Hall, senior communications specialist at San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. With the airport welcoming a recording breaking 25.24 million passengers in 2024,

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AX NEWS JUNE 2025