5 things to watch for when the San Diego airport debuts Terminal 1 in September
As Terminal 1’s September opening date approaches, excitement — and curiosity — are building about every aspect of the airport’s new 19-gate facility.
Will the new restaurants and bars be a big improvement over what’s in the existing terminal? Will there be comfortable seating? What about dining with a view? What will baggage claim and security be like? Getting to Terminal 1 is supposed to easier, with the recent debut of a new on-airport roadway that bypasses Harbor Drive, but will I have trouble finding parking?
After years of construction, members of the public will get a sneak preview of Terminal 1 next month on Sept. 14. But we’ve got the latest on what we think travelers might be curious about before catching a flight there.
And remember, the Sept. 23 opening is just for phase one. A full 30-gate terminal, with still more dining and shopping options, will debut in 2028.
Parking
What might the new terminal mean for parking? We had the answer last year when the airport opened a new Terminal 1 Parking Plaza. It debuted with 2,834 spots, which have already been in use for short-term and longer term parking. In June, an additional 2,400 spots were added, bringing the total to roughly 5,200 ahead of the opening of the new T1.
Visitors to the airport can pay in person or reserve a spot online in advance. There are also license plate readers that will capture plate information provided in online reservations.
What still remains to be seen is how easily travelers can get from the terminal to the parking plaza. As of now, visitors will have to cross the street and walk through a makeshift walkway to get to parking.
San Diego International Airport just added 2,400 more parking spots
Traffic
A new three-lane, on-airport roadway opened a few weeks ago, providing a more direct route to the airport and away from regular traffic on North Harbor Drive. It’s a big change, so it’s taking some getting used to, particularly for drivers coming down Laurel Street and looking for their usual path to the airport.
Locals may want to leave early for their trip — or picking up a loved one — to make sure they know how to maneuver. As a reminder, there is a yet-to-open elevated portion of the new roadway that will be for departing flights only. That will open once the new terminal opens. Currently there is just a single road for arriving and departing flights at the existing terminal.
New road promises direct and quicker access to San Diego airport
Food
Terminal 1, especially by comparison to Terminal 2, has not exactly endeared itself to passengers for its culinary offerings in recent years. Not that a bagel from Einstein Bros. doesn’t sometimes hit the spot in the wee hours.
All of that will change dramatically with the opening of the new T1. The lineup of options, which will open in two stages, is heavy on local favorites such as Better Buzz, Ambrogio 15 and The Taco Stand. San Diego skateboarding legend Tony Hawk has teamed with James Beard-nominated chef Claudette Zepeda on a large airport restaurant that will be called Novecientos Grados.
And travelers with an interest in cocktails will be able to grab one at Cutwater Spirits, which is opening a restaurant and bar.
When the concessions were first approved by airport leaders two years ago, San Diego celebrity chef Brian Malarkey was supposed to be in the mix with a mini food hall that was going to be a spinoff of Malarkey’s and partner Christopher Puffer’s Herb & Wood, Herb & Sea and Herb & Ranch restaurants.
Brian Malarkey and Tony Hawk want to bring their restaurants to San Diego airport’s Terminal 1
Malarkey, however, eventually dropped out because of a need to focus on a line of cooking oils he had developed, said Kevin Westlye, president of High Flying Foods, which is overseeing many of the food concessions at the airport. Replacing him and Puffer is longtime chef and restaurateur Carl Schroeder, of Market Restaurant + Bar in Del Mar.
Whether the quality of these local brands will translate well as airport dining outlets will be something local travelers can surely decide. Decor, ambiance and seating areas — the old T1 is very limited on restaurant seating — will be among the biggest expectations for foodies.
Amenities
Travelers who are used to accessing private lounges during their trips will have to wait until phase two to see the full range of options. But visitors with long layovers, or who love to get to the airport early, can expect a few shopping options.
SAN Supply Co., Univision Travel Store and The Arts District Market are expected in the new Terminal 1.
And for those who want to have an outdoor feel while they eat the food and drinks they purchase, there will be an outdoor deck off the dining hall where a number of the restaurants will be located. Expect views of view of downtown San Diego, parked jets and the new roadway.
Art
San Diegans traveling through Terminal 2 know that the San Diego Airport is definitely willing to invest in art. “Mirror Mirror,” a temporary exhibition in T2 that is on display through the end of this year, features 16 Southern California and Tijuana artists.
Locals can definitely expect some public art to examine during wait times in the new Terminal 1. Amy Ellingson, Matthew Mazzotta, Walter Hood, Nova Jiang and Erwin Redl are the artists currently listed on the airport website.
Their works range from 20- and 40-foot-tall sculptures to a Torrey Pines-themed display hanging above the ticketing checkpoint. Visitors should look forward to finding them inside and outside the terminal.
However, anyone passing by the airport now can already see a massive pink jelly fish installation outside the new terminal.
The kinetic sculpture, which towers above traffic coming toward T1, is called “RISE.” Artist Matthew Mazzotta, who has also done major installations in cities such as Denver and Tampa, is the creator of the piece.
It has pulsing lights that can be seen at night. Airport officials say it was inspired by the purple-striped jellyfish Chrysaora colorat.
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