b'36 San Diego Intl Unveils First PortionSAN TERMINALSof New Terminal 1 BY MICHELLE GARDNERThis September, San Diego International Airport (SAN)which owns and operates SAN, was well marked a major step in reimagining the entire airport whenaware of the frustration guests were feeling. it opened the first phase of a $3.8 billion expansion andVice President and Chief Development modernization in Terminal 1. The existing Terminal 1 has served ourOfficer Angela Shafer-Payne recalls reading community for more than five decades and today we are usheringcomplaints in passenger surveys and seeing in a new era, said Kimberly Becker, president and chief executivethe general look of distaste on travelers faces. officer of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. The NewThe airlines were also voicing dissatisfaction T1 provides the comfort, convenience and efficiency travelers expectabout the building. Everything was soANGELA SHAFER-PAYNEwhile reflecting the spirit of San Diego. undefined with that facility, she says. We More specifically, the 940,000 square feet of updated spaceknew we needed to replace it. features 19 gates, innovative seismic design, upgraded securityThe project rose to the top of the Airport Authoritys list following lanes, more natural lighting, artwork that provides wayfinding cues,the expansion of Terminal 2 in 2013; and consultant LeighFisher new concessions and an outdoor patio. Other major additionswas already hired to complete an aviation forecast. We were include outdoor check-in stations, new airport roadways and acoming out of the recession at that time so we wanted to know five-story parking plaza. what the growth of this airport was going to look like. We just had At nearly 60 years old, the previous Terminal 1 facilities struggledto figure out the mechanics of how we could make that happen, to handle increasingly large waves of passengers flooding throughsays Shafer-Payne.its gates each year. San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, November | December 2025AirportImprovement.com'