Summary
- Exciting news from Kansas City International Airport as the new terminal celebrates one year in operations.
- The bright new terminal in Kansas City offers 40 gates, 16 security lanes, and a variety of dining and shopping options for passengers.
- The airport’s expansion has led to an increase in flights, new destinations, and job opportunities with competitive wages.
Just weeks after welcoming back the city’s winning Super Bowl team, Kansas City International Airport (MCI) is celebrating one year of operations in its new terminal. The 1.1 million-square-foot terminal replaced three terminals designed in the mid-1960s, arriving on schedule and within its $1.5 billion budget.
A sweeping redevelopment.
In the largest single infrastructure project in Kansas City, Missouri’s history, the airport’s original Terminal A was demolished to make room for the new terminal and garage. At the same time, the adjacent Terminals B and C continued to serve passengers. The first departure from the New Terminal was a 05:00 Southwest Airlines flight to Chicago-Midway (MDW) on February 28th, 2023.
Kansas City International Airport Celebrates Opening Of New Terminal
The first flight from the new Terminal was operated by Southwest Airlines.
Upon arrival, passengers can park in the new seven-story parking garage and use one of 16 security lanes. The facility features 40 gates, with the ability to expand up to 50 gates in the future. Waiting passengers can take advantage of nearly 50 local and national eateries and shopping outlets, travel on one of the moving walkways between concourses, and visit the USO or Delta Air Lines SkyClub lounges.
Other terminal amenities include a Variety KC inclusive play area for children of all abilities, sensory and quiet rooms for those with sensory disorders, infant feeding rooms, and service animal relief areas. The terminal is also home to the largest public art project ever undertaken in Kansas City, a collection of 28 unique art installations scattered throughout the space.
Photo: Clark Construction
In addition to the new terminal, there are around 1.65 million square feet of newly landscaped areas and 3.85 million square feet of new airfield pavement. A demolition contract for the old terminal space was announced this month. The area will be converted to apron space and deicing pads, with Parking Garage B becoming an employee parking lot and Garage C later reopening for public parking.
A new terminal brings new routes.
Simple Flying’s analysis at the time found that The City Of Fountains had just over 4,000 departures scheduled for March 2023, the first full month of operations in the new terminal. Cirium data for March 2024 shows airlines have scheduled 4,360 flights out of Kansas City, an increase of 6.9%. Southwest Airlines added the most capacity, with 2,212 flights scheduled next month, representing an increase of just over 25% for a total of almost 350,000 seats.
Airlines Increase Flights To Las Vegas Ahead Of Super Bowl LVIII
Two out of three major airlines with bumped frequencies to Sin City are subtly celebrating the romance between Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
Six new destinations have nonstop flights next month that were not directly linked last year. Milwaukee, Indianapolis, and Albuquerque saw the most significant number of flights, with more than daily flights. Meanwhile, Southwest added weekly flights to Los Cabos (SJD), Pensacola (PNS), and Montego Bay, Jamacia (MJB).
Photo: Clark Construction
For those looking to spend extra time in the terminal, the airport is also actively hiring for jobs offering up to $22 per hour with no college requirements. Kansas City International Airport served 11,545,742 total passengers between the three terminals in 2023, up 17.7% from the previous year.
