San Diego International Airport opened the first phase of its new Terminal 1, shifting travelers into a larger, modern building with 19 gates.
The project replaced facilities whose earliest sections dated to 1967. Wider gate areas, an expanded security checkpoint, new baggage systems and local food and retail concepts were designed around current passenger volumes.
Construction continued after opening day as the airport prepared later phases and the ground-transportation network around the terminal. The milestone nevertheless changed the arrival experience at one of the world's busiest single-runway airports.