San Diego County Regional Airport Authority has selected ‘Alternative 5’ as the preferred concept for the next development phase of San Diego International Airport in California, USA.
Alternative 5 was selected due to its short construction period and the minimal amount of work required in preparing the site for construction. It also provides a unified terminal design, improving connectivity to the airport’s other terminals, amenities and passenger services. A central federal inspection facility will also be built to help service the growing number of international passengers.
The airport development plan (ADP) included a total of five ‘alternatives’, each looking at different ways of replacing Terminal 1 (T1) and conducting other required improvements. The airport authority board also approved the start of the environmental review process for the ADP, which is expected to conclude in summer/autumn 2017.
The ADP will enable the airport to meet demand until 2035, when passenger activity levels are expected to reach capacity for the airport’s single runway. Alternative 5, estimated at US$2.2bn, shortens the timeframe in which T1 can be replaced and provided the lowest construction cost of any other alternative.
![[Left to right] George Drivas, founder and managing director, Airport Retail Group Australia; DJ McCready, co-founder and head brewer, Mountain Culture Beer Co; Simon Hickey, WSI CEO; and Mark Barton, chairperson, Business Bl, stand in front of a Mountain Culture brewery bar, with grafitti-style art on the exposed brickwork wall behind them.](https://www.passengerterminaltoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/rsz_wsi_mountain_culture-e1782232241128-450x252.jpeg "Mountain Culture brewery to open at Western Sydney International")