Turner, FlatironDragados Complete First Phase of $3B San Diego Airport Terminal

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Turner Construction and FlatironDragados have officially opened the first phase of the $3 billion Terminal 1 redevelopment project at San Diego International Airport, a progressive design-build effort aimed at transforming the city’s air travel infrastructure.

The joint venture broke ground in 2021 and has now delivered a new terminal building with 19 gates, approximately five miles of new roadways, elevated departures and arrivals lanes, and a 5,200-space parking plaza.

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Airport leaders have described the redevelopment as vital to meeting the needs of a growing number of travelers in the San Diego region.

The next phase of construction, scheduled to begin in October, will add 11 more gates to Terminal 1, ultimately bringing the total to 30 gates by early 2028.

Enhanced Passenger Experience

The new terminal aims to elevate the traveler experience with features including:

• Outdoor dining space overlooking the downtown skyline
• 15 concessionaires offering a mix of local and national food and retail options
• Commissioned artwork showcasing regional culture
• A luminous wave wall designed to filter soft, natural light through ticketing and concourse levels

Overcoming Challenges

The massive project has not been without difficulties. In 2023, Turner briefly shut the site down following a series of hate-motivated incidents that led to anti-bias training for more than 1,200 workers. Despite the temporary pause, construction milestones remained on schedule, with the terminal topping out in December 2023.

National Context

San Diego’s new terminal joins a growing list of billion-dollar airport expansions across the U.S.:

• Tampa International Airport is moving forward with its $1.5 billion Airside D terminal, which will add 16 gates.
• In Chicago, a joint venture of AECOM Hunt, Clayco, and Bowa has started work on the $1.3 billion Terminal D at O’Hare International Airport.

With this milestone, San Diego International Airport strengthens its position as a gateway to Southern California and underscores a broader national trend of modernizing aviation infrastructure.

Originally reported by Sebastian Obando in Construction Dive.