Phoenix city leaders want a new terminal at Sky Harbor Airport

PHOENIX — Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego wants to expand Sky Harbor International Airport, announcing a plan for a new terminal in a State of the City address she gave on Tuesday.

“Next month, the City Council and I will get to work on a new, cutting-edge terminal at Sky Harbor’s west end,” Gallego said. “It will be beautiful, with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, and able to welcome the newest in airplane technology.”

She made the announcement after talking about the huge impact airports have on the Phoenix metro area.

“As of today, the Phoenix airport system’s economic impact is $44 billion, an increase of nearly 15% compared to 2016,” Gallego said.

Part of that impact comes from partners like Southwest Airlines, she added. The airline opened one of the largest hangers in its network a few months ago at Sky Harbor, she said.

Why do Phoenix leaders want to expand Sky Harbor?

“We’re going to continue to invest in Sky Harbor to make it even better,” Gallego said. “Through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law alone, our airport is set to receive more than a quarter-billion dollars for upgrades.”

The new terminal is necessary to ensure Sky Harbor can meet its growing customer base, she added.

“If you’ve walked through terminals three and four recently, there’s no doubt you’ve noticed how much busier they are than in past years,” Gallego said. “Soon, we will need a new terminal to accommodate our future growth.”

The potential upcoming terminal will be top tier, she added.

“A top-tier terminal makes sense for a city that’s a leader in worldwide aviation,” Gallego said.

She cited the way Phoenix impacts technology around the world.

“Air taxis will make their Olympic debut at the Paris Olympics this summer, many utilizing systems made by Honeywell Aerospace right here in Phoenix,” she said.