USA. San Diego International Airport has staged the grand opening of its long-awaited new Terminal 1, which brings users a modernised hub anchored by an expanded line-up of food & beverage and retail concessions.
The US$3.8 billion redevelopment replaces the airport’s 58-year-old Terminal 1 with a facility designed to handle growing passenger demand while putting concessions at the centre of the experience.
Phase 1A of the project features more than 90,000sq ft dedicated to shopping and dining, including 12 restaurants and five speciality stores.
Restaurants range from local to national brands that offer quick grab ‘n’ go or sit-down experiences. They include 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.
An outdoor dining terrace with views of San Diego Bay aims to reinforce the airport’s efforts to create a sense of place.
Speciality retail stores offering a range of items from travel essentials to artisan gifts include Liberty Station Gifts, No Boundaries, The Arts District Market, SAN Supply Co. and Univision Travel Store.
The new concessions are part of a wider first-phase buildout that includes 19 gates, a ticketing hall with nearly 70 kiosks, a 13-lane security checkpoint and a baggage system capable of processing 4,000 bags per hour.
The terminal’s all-glass façade, designed by renowned artist James Carpenter, is comprised 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.
T1 also showcases San Diego’s artistic and cultural identity, with five major commissioned public art pieces, many integrated into the terminal design.
They including 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.
These works, prominently displayed inside and outside throughout the terminal, celebrate the region’s lifestyle, history and natural beauty.
San Diego County Regional Airport Authority President and CEO Kimberly Becker said, “On behalf of our partnering agencies, stakeholders and all the employees and tenants at San Diego International Airport, we are truly proud to open the new Terminal 1 and share all that it offers with San Diego and the world.
“The existing Terminal 1 has served our community for more than five decades and today we are ushering in a new era. The new T1 provides the comfort, convenience and efficiency travellers expect while reflecting the spirit of San Diego.”
The next phase of Terminal 1 construction will begin in 2026 and add another 11 airline gates by 2028.
The project is being delivered by Turner-Flatiron, a joint venture, with Gensler serving as the lead architect. ✈
