The San Diego Airport Authority celebrated the completion of the steel structure of Terminal 1 on Wednesday.
The first phase of Terminal 1 is expected to open in late summer 2025. The completed terminal, according to the airport authority, will have more space, a parking plaza and a roadway dedicated to arrivals.
In the meantime, travelers are still flowing through the old terminal. Some traffic has been rerouted because of the ongoing construction.
Antonio Damian Jr. is a frequent flier. He travels from Sacramento to San Diego about every two months to care for his aging father. He's seen the construction progress in real time and has sky-high expectations for the updated terminal.
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"My take is that they’re doing a great job," Damian told NBC 7. "It’s a great job. They’re moving fast. I can’t believe how fast they’re moving."
The rapid construction, however, has in some instances slowed down traffic to SAN. San Diegan Yuka Nakanishi, who uses ride-share to avoid parking fees, said she mentally and financially prepares to battle terminal traffic.
"Because of the construction, it's so congested," said Nakanishi, adding that her experience Wednesday was better than previous trips to the airport.
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Airport Authority board member Rafael Perez said the traffic and construction will be a "small sacrifice" in the long-term.
"I think it's going to be a great asset for our region and for our community," Perez said.
AAA anticipating 4.7 million domestic passengers taking to the skies this Thanksgiving. In the future, the bigger terminal will likely make air travel in the region less turbulent.
The second phase of the Terminal 1 construction project is expected to open in 2028. There will be a total of 30 gates in the new facility, according to the Airport Authority.
