New Terminal 1 Opens At San Diego International Airport

SAN DIEGO, CA — San Diego International Airport Tuesday officially opened the first phase of its long-awaited new Terminal 1, replacing the 58-year-old terminal.

Phase 1A of the new terminal has 19 gates, a ticketing hall with 69 check-in kiosks and 66 ticket counters, a security checkpoint with 13 lanes, seven baggage carousels capable of handling 4,000 bags per hour, 12 restaurants, an outdoor dining area with views of San Diego Bay and downtown and five retail stores.

The restaurants are Ambrogio 15, Better Buzz, Cutwater Restaurant & Bar, JT Bros Handcrafted Sandwiches, Lofty Coffee, Luna Grill, Market Hall, McDonald's, Novocientos Grados, Parfait Paris, SIP Wine & Beer and The Taco Stand.

The retail stores are Liberty Station Gifts, No Boundaries, The Arts District Market, SAN Supply Co., and Univision Travel Store.

Five commissioned public art pieces are part of the new terminal -- "A Day in the Sun" by Amy Ellington, "RISE (pink jellyfish)" by Matthew Mazzotta, "Vessel of Light" by Erwin Redl, "Migrations" by Walter Hood and "Torrey Pines" by Nova Jiang.

The terminal's glass facade -- designed by artist James Carpenter -- is called "Luminous Wave" and is made up of 537 curved, fritted glass panels that "allow light to illuminate the ticketing and baggage claim halls while reducing heat and glare on monitors and wayfinding screens," a statement from the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, the airport's managing body, read.

The terminal project also includes four miles of new roads, the expanded five-story Terminal 1 Parking Plaza and a focus on sustainability, according to the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. The terminal building will run on 100% carbon-free electricity.

The project was built by the joint venture Turner-Flatiron, with Gensler serving as the lead architect.
Construction on Phase 1B of the project will begin early next year, bringing three additional gates in spring 2026, and the remaining eight gates are scheduled to open in early 2028, bringing the total gates in the new Terminal 1 to 30.

"The existing Terminal 1 has served our community for more than five decades and today we are ushering in a new era," said Kimberly Becker, president and CEO of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority.

"The New T1 provides the comfort, convenience, and efficiency travelers expect while reflecting the spirit of San Diego."

— City News Service