Tampa International Airport – a Corporate Partner of the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub – has previewed an updated concept for the 16-gate new Airside D, which will feature “a premier passenger experience” when it opens in 2028.
Airside D will help the airport, which currently serves 25 million passengers a year, accommodate the region’s growth and serve up to 35 million annual passengers by 2037.
The preliminary rendering of the new concept was developed this summer by the design-build team led by construction firm Hensel Phelps and presented to the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board of Directors at their August meeting. It reflects a significant optimisation of the shape and space planning of the original building concept introduced when the Board awarded Hensel Phelps the contract in 2023.
“The design phase is an iterative process fuelled by thorough research and analysis, and careful assessment of facility and operational needs in close collaboration with airline, Federal, and other partners,” said Smitha Radhakrishnan, Executive Vice President of Planning & Development and Maintenance, Tampa International Airport. “We want this facility to be the premium traveller experience that TPA guests expect while prioritising fiscal responsibility every step of the way.”
The new Airside D concept will feature:
- Orthogonal shape for greater space and operational efficiency
- Two levels plus a mezzanine for two airline lounges with views of the airfield and the bay
- International Passenger Arrival Processing Area on the first floor
- Shuttle system and guideway
- Shopping and dining locations at the centre of the Airside, offering 360-degree views of the gates
- Large open space featuring intuitive wayfinding and natural light
Final designs for Airside D will be completed in 2025. Ground-breaking and the early stages of construction (site-enabling work) will begin later this year, with Airside D opening in 2028.
