Airport gears up for next multiphase expansion
Proposed jet bridges at some of the Tri-Cities Airport’s gates appear in this rendering of the next phase of expansion at the airport. The project is potentially one of four phases of construction planned at the airport that will cost an estimated $120 million to $145 million and be completed over the next 10 years.
Courtesy Tri-Cities AirportLess than a decade after it underwent a major overhaul, the Tri-Cities Airport terminal is gearing up for another round of improvements.
The Port of Pasco’s commercial construction permit for the project listed the value of the work at nearly $11 million. The scope of the work includes expanding the outbound baggage area, adding a second boarding door to Gate 2, renovating Gate 5 and potentially adding jet bridges to those two gates. Work will be completed in 2026.
Travelers will see minimal, if any, disruptions, Airport Director Buck Taft told the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.
The project is the first of four phases that the airport has planned for the next 10 years at an estimated cost of $120 million to $145 million. However, the ability to stick to that timeline will depend on various factors.
“If all goes well and we get good bids, we’ll do it all,” Taft said.
The Port of Pasco, which owns and operates the airport, announced the four-phase terminal expansion in April 2024. Beyond the initial construction phase, it would:
- Expand ticket counters and renovate the second floor of the terminal.
- Expand the baggage claim area.
- Construct a rental car building. It is scheduled for 2032-33 with a budget of nearly $32 million.
- Add Gates 6 and 7.
- Expand the terminal apron.
Projects will be funded by a combination of airport user fees, federal grants and facility charges.
Mead and Hunt of Portland, Oregon, is the architect for the project. The project is currently out for bid and Taft said a contractor should be determined by April.
The last major renovation of the airport, completed in 2017, was focused on improving the traveler experience, officials said. These next projects are about making sure the airport can accommodate the growing number of passengers flying out of the Tri-Cities. The airport hit a new record of passengers served in 2024 with nearly 950,000 passing through its gates.
“No one that’s traveling will notice, but for the employees, the safety needs and the operations, it is needed,” Taft said.
Costs will play a major role in what projects are done and how quickly, Taft said. Inflation over the past eight years has already added significantly to the cost of construction materials.
