SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego International Airport's new Terminal 1 officially opened Tuesday, marking the completion of a $3.8 billion investment designed to modernize the travel experience and reflect the spirit of America's Finest City.
The new terminal replaces outdated infrastructure with technological updates and improved passenger flow. Airport officials expect the facility to serve around 10 million passengers in its first year of operation.
@abc10news San Diego Airport's stunning new Terminal 1 is officially open! 🌟 What do you think of the $3.8 billion upgrade? Share your travel experiences! ✈️
♬ original sound - ABC 10News San Diego
Early travelers noticed immediate improvements in traffic flow and drop-off areas compared to the previous terminal.
"We pulled right up. There wasn't any congestion. We went into the southwest curbside, and it was smooth," Teresa Van Lubin said.
Joshua Garcia, who was dropping off a friend, said the changes were immediately apparent.
"I'm so used to usual Terminal 1 where everybody's kind of coming in and out at the same time and it was chaotic. You couldn't stay parked for more than five seconds without somebody telling you to move. And the first thing I noticed, I literally said as we pulled in, I was like, 'Oh my gosh, this is so much easier,' like it is, you're not worried about everybody coming around. Drop off, it's super quiet," Garcia said.
However, some passengers noted that the new road configuration will require an adjustment period.
"Maybe they should have marked it a little bit further back, cause a lot of us who are used to it further down missed it," Ben Abucejo said.
Visitors to San Diego noticed stark differences between the new Terminal 1 and the existing Terminal 2. Prince and Jessica Smith described their contrasting experiences.
"When we got off the plane, we were expecting kind of grand, like, you know, California grand airport, and we came out and it was like dark and like really yellow weird lights, and he was like, 'Oh, an antique airport,' and so that was our first experience and we're like, 'Oh, OK, well off we go,' so very different from this kind of light and bright and airy feel from what we experienced last night," the Smiths said.
Beyond security checkpoints, passengers will find dining options featuring local restaurants they'll recognize. The terminal also includes a patio deck where travelers can enjoy fresh air.
Airport officials say many design elements were intentionally chosen to reflect San Diego's character.
"So we really wanted to create a sense of place and give people that connection to San Diego. Right when they walk in, they first arrive, they feel the warmth of the sunshine," Nicole Hall, San Diego International Airport spokesperson, said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
