The Kleinfelder Blog

San Diego International Airport’s (SAN) New Terminal 1 (New T1) officially opened on September 22, 2025, with the first flights and passengers welcomed the following day. Kleinfelder played a key role in the transformation of New T1, serving as landside development bridge designer and civil engineering lead, geotechnical engineer, and sustainability lead for this $3.4-billion alternative delivery project. Disciplines included geotechnical engineering, graphic design and visualization, foundation design, civil engineering, roadway design, and construction staging. Replacing the original 58-year-old Terminal 1, the new facility includes 19 gates, expanded parking, and roadways designed to streamline access at the nation’s busiest single-runway commercial airport.

During the September 12 ribbon cutting ceremony and opening gala celebration, New T1 welcomed more than 600 community partners and stakeholders, with several concessions serving a taste of the local fare. Visitors were invited to take a self-guided tour and learn more about the locally commissioned art installations and upgraded amenities. The same weekend, more than 5,000 guests took part in the community open house, exploring restaurants and retail shops, as well as interacting with San Diego County Regional Airport Authority staff to learn more about the terminal’s modern infrastructure and design.

At one point during New T1’s construction, more than 1,700 individuals were actively working on the project and the Kleinfelder team was a significant part of that workforce. Kleinfelder collaborated with many teams while leading bridge, retaining wall, and art installation foundation design. To support the construction phase of the project, Kleinfelder developed staged construction drawings for a new three-lane roadway designed to facilitate constant terminal traffic flow. Understanding future traffic flow and making informed decisions is a major consideration during projects of this scale and type. Kleinfelder’s graphic design and visualization team generated renderings and created virtual driving experience videos to support stakeholders through thoughtful decision making.

Kleinfelder’s landside civil design lead Jim Frost commented, “Having lived and worked in San Diego for over 30 years, this is both a personal and professional milestone. We’re proud to have contributed to this local project that enhances connectivity and efficiency. It’s exciting to see our work come to life in a space that will serve millions of travelers, including our family and friends, for many years.”

The first phase of the Terminal 1 redevelopment included 19 gates, an elevated departures roadway, outdoor check-in pavilions, a five-story parking plaza, and dedicated, on-airport arrivals roadway. The second phase will add 11 gates, bringing the total number of gates to 30 when complete. This sustainable project is sure to provide efficiency and comfort for more than 11 million travelers annually.

Check out the Grand Opening Event Photos Below!

Used with permission courtesy Gensler and Evelyn Molina Photography