TAMPA, Florida. – More changes are coming to Tampa International Airport. TPA has announced updated plans for Airside D, which have been in the works for several years.

Airport officials said this is the first new airport area in 20 years. They said this construction comes just in time as the airport tries to keep up with rapid growth in and around the Tampa Bay area.

“When it’s time to add another airport area, when the community demands it, we do it,” said Jeff Siddle, TPA’s vice president of planning and development. “And that’s exactly what happened here. The growth of the community basically demands that we have more gates.”

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TPA said it handles 25 million passengers annually and with Airside D it expects to handle 35 million passengers annually by 2037.

“Airside D will be the crown jewel and indeed the final phase of our master plan that the board envisioned in 2013,” Siddle said.

Airside D will be over 55 square meters in size and two floors. There will be 16 gates, two airline lounges, a new shuttle system, modern checkpoints and new shopping and dining areas.

There is also the possibility to accommodate international arrivals.

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“We could use those gates now if they were actually available to us,” Siddle said. “Our FIS facilities that now accommodate international inbound passengers are on Airside F and we need to upgrade those. We just don’t have enough space there.”

Airport officials said Airside D will now cost $1.5 billion to build. It was originally estimated to cost $787 million, but rising supply chain and labor costs have driven up prices.

The passenger side will serve as a new landmark at TPA.

“Everything we do within our culture and the DNA of Tampa International Airport will undoubtedly be an integral part of this building,” Siddle said.

The project is still in its early stages, but TPA officials expect to have renderings and updated plans available over the next year. Airside D is scheduled to open in 2028.

TPA has launched a new website to provide updates on Airside D construction and plans. For more information, visit www.AscendTPA.com.

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