San Diego Terminal 1 Replacement

PBS provided Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) Engineering Services for San Diego International Airport’s biggest project ever — a new, expanded Terminal 1. The project entailed a replacement of the 1960s-era Terminal 1 with a new 30-gate facility, along with planned airfield improvements and new roadways. The scope is the build-out of the airline operations scope of work in the new Terminal No. 1 project. The scope of work is broken into two (2) Phases; Phase 1A and 1B. The approximate square footage is 50,996. The first phase of the new terminal will open in mid-2025.

In addition to adding 11 more gates, the Terminal 1 project will feature an expanded and much-improved lineup of food and retail concessions, a 5,200-space parking garage, and a baggage handling system that will be able to process up to 2,000 bags per hour during peak periods. Also part of the redevelopment is a new three-lane airport access road from Laurel Street and North Harbor Drive that airport planners say will remove 45,000 vehicle trips per day from Harbor Drive.

Southwest Airlines and Delta will be using the new Terminal 1, as will some other airlines still to be determined. Terminal 2 is also used for domestic f lights operated by a number of other airlines and is also where international flights depart and arrive. The first 19 gates in the new terminal, now under construction, will open first, and demolition of the old terminal will follow. The additional 11 gates should be ready by 2027.