By Roxana Popescu | [email protected] | The San Diego Union-Tribune and Rob Nikolewski | [email protected] | The San Diego Union-Tribune
By all indications, the first full day at the San Diego International Airport's new Terminal 1 went without a hitch Tuesday, with smooth check-in and security zones, bustling concession stands, speedy baggage claim and airy spaces that brightened the moods of travelers.
The unveiling of the $3.8 billion, roughly one-million square-foot terminal came after four years of construction, with a ribbon cutting and remarks from airport officials and project leaders about the facility's economic impact and all of the hard work and vision it took to get there.
"Our purpose at San Diego International is to create an exceptional airport experience for the community and the world," Kimberly Becker, CEO of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, said. "And this is one major step forward to reaching that goal."
Passengers Tuesday said the new terminal eclipses the one it replaces, which will be torn down soon, as well as other airports. They were not the first travelers in the new facility as some fights landed Monday night, but the new terminal was fully functional starting Tuesday.
"So big, so open and so clean," said Linda Vranich, a retired registered nurse who was flying back to her home in Chico after visiting her son and grandchildren.
Downstairs, in baggage claim, Kim Mangus noticed how easily she could roll two suitcases and a small dog in its pet carrier along the smooth new terrazzo floor.
"The floors are better," Mangus told her husband. He agreed. They had just landed from San Antonio for a two-week visit.
What message does the new terminal convey to tourists landing in San Diego?
"San Diego's growing up," Magnus answered. She loves the path planes take to land in this urban airport -- where jets roar past high-rises and trees tops. But the old T1, which she had flown out of a few weeks earlier, didn't offer the best welcome, she said. "It was crowded and it felt like it was, just, old."
For the typical traveler, the main selling point of the new terminal is simply added space, said Gil Cabrera, board chair of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority.
"You're going to feel like you can move around and you're not going to feel crowded or clustered with people," he said. "You'll have room to move around, you can eat in peace and you can eat a wide variety of food, but space is going to be the biggest thing that people will notice."
There's more room to take in sights, from picture windows to the unique post-security terrace, which traveler Alyssa Compos, a college student returning to see family, said is a great way for visitors to get introduced to San Diego's legendary weather.
"Even if you're just on a layover, you still get to see the views, the palm trees," she said as she relaxed on a rocking chair on the terrace.
Also outside, the new design has more room for cars. The expansion includes a new three-lane roadway that bypasses North Harbor Drive and delivers drivers to Terminals 1 and 2 as well as parking garages.
Airport officials expect the new design will remove about 45,000 cars a day from North Harbor Drive.
Mike Patel drove to San Diego from his home in El Centro for a flight on Southwest Airlines to Dallas and was relieved to see traffic moving quickly on Tuesday morning.
"Before, it used to be congested," he said. "When you tried to get someone from the airport, you had to wait so long in the line. I came two days ago to pick up someone and hit traffic. Now I came in and it's just flowing."
There is more room for pets, too. The new Terminal 1 also has a spacious rest area for pets traveling with their owners, located near the gates.
That's a plus that Eric Rupe and Kelly Bree took advantage of on Tuesday. Their mixed-breed rescue dog, Jax, accompanied them and their two children on their flight from Houston.
"We travel with him all the time," Rupe said. "He's been on at least a hundred flights with us over the years."
"Sometimes we do a cross-country flight, so a pet relief area is always nice when you get off the plane," Bree said.
A few travelers planned their trips specifically so they could take a first-hand look at the new terminal, including 17-year-old Alex Gong, who came to San Diego from Phoenix for a few hours.
At the old T1, "we were laying in the bathroom to find an outlet to plug our phones in, so if you can imagine the contrast of having a piano in the new terminal, it's miles better," Gong said from the terrace, as notes from a pianist wafted through the air.
His only criticism: "No moving walkways. ... If you are struggling with mobility, it may be a slight challenge to get all the way from security, all the way to the end of the terminal. Other than that, there's no complaints whatsoever."
Ethan Weiner, 16, an aviation photography buff, also flew from Phoenix to check out the new terminal. Of the roughly 35 U.S. airports he's passed through, Weiner called the San Diego makeover exceptional.
It's a "10 out of 10. They did a fabulous job, from the outdoor patio to the spacious walls, to the furniture, to the outlets, the design, the food hall -- everything is absolutely amazing. I really don't have anything bad to say about it," he said. "For a single runway airport, this is mind blowing." The technology and design make it "stand out from every other airport that's trying to do the same thing."
Airport workers were excited, too.
Edith Benitez, 20, was one of the more than 37,500 people hired to work at the new terminal, whether during construction or now that it's opened, according to figures shared by the airport authority.
"It's my first week here," Benitez said, from behind the counter of Parfait Paris, an award-winning San Diego bakery. "I think it's good. It's a new environment. Very different, very nice people."
She got to work at 4 a.m., and the bakery opened at 5 a.m. Pastries were almost sold out by mid-morning. Popular items: veggie quiche and croissants.
"And then, a lot of coffee," Benitez said.
On the terrace, retired United pilot Scott Becker had plans to fly twice: round trip to Phoenix, then round trip to Las Vegas, all on Tuesday. It was an action-packed day designed to celebrate a big moment at his hometown airport.
From a pilot's perspective, he appreciates how the new terminal's layout and added space for taxiing can help ease congestion and help prevent delays, such as in case of thunderstorms.
As a flyer, he loves how calming the new space is.
"It's spacious, it's quiet. The vibe is really chill," he said. "Some airports, there's such a crush of people, you almost feel like your anxieties -- if you're anxiety prone -- are going to be raised because of it. But here, everything is so low key. I'm sure during peak periods, it's going to be a little more crowded, but there's still so much room."