Airport Experience® News - Leadership Issue 2025

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DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR LARGE-HUB AIRPORTS

going to be building a new state-of-the-art customs facility as well.” The new terminal will take the pressure off Terminal 4, which hosts international traffic and is also the home to both Southwest Airlines and American Airlines , each of which accounts for about 40% of passenger traffic at PHX. “Both those airlines have signaled an interest to continue to grow their operation, which is wonderful, but with all of the gates fully built out at [Terminal] 4, I have no more gates to offer,” says Makovsky. “As we’re thinking about this new West terminal, I think one of those two carriers are going to ultimately be the signature carrier in that terminal. We’re actually going through a process now to identify which one is the right one.” Concessions and Services As the terminals continue to evolve, Makovsky says he and his team are constantly assessing the trends underway in airport concessions. He’s a big fan of local concepts and brands that offer unique experiences. “It’s about creating those unique opportunities, then getting people excited about being at the airport and being in Phoenix, and getting to experience it in a unique way,” he says. One trend worth keeping an eye on is the continuing expansion of lounges and its potential impact on F&B and retail. “I will be very open to tell the airlines that it’s concerning, because it feels to me like they’re now starting to encroach on the very revenues that airports depend on, and that our concessionaires depend on to be successful,” Makovsky says. PHX is unusual among North American airports in that it doesn’t have pricing restrictions on airport concessions. Makovsky said he was initially “a little bit disappointed” that the street-pricing policy had been lifted while he was at DFW. While concerned, “I wanted to keep an open mind,” he says. “We do passenger intercept surveys, and what I found is that [price] just wasn’t registering as being a

acknowledging that some of that growth was due to pandemic recovery. But, he says, in a “mature” market, the PHX team has managed to secure service from Air France with a non-stop flight to Paris, and to re-engage Aeromexico – which had been absent from the market for several years – with new service to Mexico City. The latest big win is service to Taipei on Starlux Airlines beginning in January, building on the community development that resulted in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation Limited investing $165 billion in new development in northern Phoenix. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego says Makovsky is actively partnering with the community for growth. “He really tries to make sure our air service development program ties with our economy and looks to our future goals,” she says. Those efforts extend to tourism as well. “When we talk about how Phoenix can grow from being a top 10 destination to a top-five destination in tourism, he’s right there with us, talking about how the airport can play a role in that,” says Ron Price, president and CEO of Visit Arizona .

Building For Growth The airline and passenger growth means facilities need to keep up. Like many large hub airports, PHX seems to be in a constant state of refurbishment or expansion or both. Makovsky has navigated those changes, both in his previous stint at the airport and now at the helm. The current major project is a six-gate expansion to Terminal 3, which was recently modernized. Many Terminal 3 airlines have signaled their interest in growing in the market, Makovsky says. The six new gates are scheduled to open at the end of 2027. A bigger project is on the horizon. A new West Terminal is in the early stages of development, with construction expected to begin in 2030. Makovsky says the new facility will serve as the airport’s “international flagship terminal” once it’s completed in around 2033. “I’ve mentioned the international successes we’ve had,” Makovsky says. “With the growth we’ve seen, we’re already stretching our ability to serve those airlines, just with the limitations associated with the gates and the customs facility that exists. Along with this new terminal, we’re

Left: Makovsky’s tenure at PHX has been highlighted by a strong push to expand airlines and routes serving Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. More than 50 million travelers used the airport last year.

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AX NEWS DECEMBER 2025 / JANUARY 2026