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6h ago

San Diego International Opens New Terminal 1 for First Full Day of Flights

The 19-gate debut launches a rebuild replacing the 1967 terminal to reach 30 gates by early 2028.

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Passengers make their way to their gate or to the baggage claim area of the newly opened Terminal 1 at San Diego International Airport. Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, was the official grand opening of the new Terminal 1.  (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
San Diego International Airport will welcome the first flights to arrive at the new Terminal 1. Passengers from flight from Honolulu is the first flight at the San Diego International Airport on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Overview

  • Arrivals began Monday night with the first of 15 flights, the old Terminal 1 saw its final departure around 9:10 p.m., and all arrivals and departures moved to the new facility Tuesday.
  • Initial operations are at 19 gates with airlines including Breeze, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit and Sun Country, with Air Canada and WestJet slated for spring 2026 and Delta planned for early 2028.
  • Upgrades include a 13-lane security checkpoint, a seven-carousel baggage claim and a system rated to handle roughly 2,000 bags per hour, plus an outdoor patio and a post-security walkway connecting Terminals 1 and 2.
  • The terminal emphasizes local flavor with 30 dining and retail options such as 900A Tony Hawk Public House, Better Buzz, The Taco Stand and Cutwater Restaurant & Bar, alongside new public art installations.
  • Supporting infrastructure features a 2,834-space T1 Parking Plaza and a new on-airport road that bypasses North Harbor Drive, as demolition of the 1967 building begins within 7–10 days ahead of Phase 1B construction to complete 30 gates.