The official debut of the airport’s new Terminal 1 will arrive in late September, but members of the public are being offered a chance to check it out a little more than a week before the grand opening.
A three-hour open house will be held Sept. 14 (Sunday) from 9 a.m. to noon to allow locals to take a self-guided tour of the new facility, which is the first phase of what will eventually be a 30-gate terminal. The new Terminal 1, which will have its first full day of operations on Sept. 23, has 19 gates, plus dozens of new restaurants and stores, in addition to a 5,200-space parking garage.
The old,1960s-era Terminal 1 will remain operating up until the new terminal opens the evening of Sept. 22 when a few flights will be arriving.
No registration will be required for the open house where attendees will be able for the first time to see the building interior, including what is a far more spacious layout, modern design and state-of-the-art amenities.
“We’re so excited to give the community the opportunity to experience firsthand all that our new Terminal 1 offers before it officially opens,” said Kimberly Becker, president of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. “We appreciate the patience and support from our neighbors and travelers during construction. This is San Diego’s airport, and we are proud to share it with everyone.”
Airport staff will be available throughout the terminal to answer questions and guide visitors. In addition, some of the new concessionaires will be open and offering complimentary samples. A number of familiar local restaurants, including Kettner Exchange and Puesto, will have a presence at Terminal 1.
Parking is available in the Terminal 1 Parking Plaza. The first three hours are free with validation. Signs will guide attendees to the open house entrance, located on level 1 of the new Terminal 1.
Just last week ago a new three-lane, on-airport roadway opened, promising to remove 45,000 cars a day from North Harbor Drive.
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