Tampa International Airport travelers will notice plenty of behind-the-scenes work on the Main Terminal’s first floor these days, as construction crews work to replace elements of the checked baggage system.

Construction walls are currently blocking some baggage carousels on the Red Bag Claim as workers install new catwalks and conveyor belts above the ceiling line. The equipment being replaced comprises the conveyor belt network that moves bags from ticket counters in the Main Terminal to the correct aircraft before a flight.

It’s part of a broader project to centralize security screening into the Main Terminal, consolidate the baggage transport infrastructure, and add Airside D to the system in time for the terminal’s scheduled opening in 2029. That’s the same year a modernization of the second-floor Ticketing Level, currently in the design phase, is scheduled to be complete.

“We’re taking the first step in upgrading our entire baggage system, which we need to accommodate the major growth we’re experiencing at TPA,” Airport Construction Director Dan Seeley said. “This new baggage conveyor system is going to provide added efficiency and functionality that will allow us to handle the necessary volume for the increase in passengers we are expecting.”

Along with installing roughly 25,000 feet of new conveyor belts and the catwalks, TPA will be replacing the checked baggage system with what is known as a cross-belt sorter, a relatively new technology in the United States.

This brand-new system will work with the conveyor belt system to provide the flexibility to deliver a bag from any ticket counter to any Airside terminal, a function the current system is unable to perform. It also will allow TPA to install a new system in the existing baggage processing space while the old one continues to operate.

The existing baggage system was certified in 2005 to comply with Homeland Security requirements, making it one of the first airports in the country to do so after the events of September 11, 2001. While some additions and upgrades have been implemented over the last decade, the majority of the baggage system is original to 2005.

Travelers can expect to see work on the system above a pair of baggage carousels at a time. Once a section of equipment is installed overhead, workers will replace the ceiling and signage (which was renovated in 2024) and move on to the next pair of carousels.

The baggage claim project will be completed in phases, with the first phase complete in order to serve the new Airside D in 2029.

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board approved $298.6 million to upgrade the checked baggage system at its September 2025 meeting as part of the Airport’s capital budget.

Tampa International Airport is putting the finishing touches on a new project designed for a (very) rainy day.

The Airport is wrapping up work that enables TPA to put up a temporary, 9-foot AquaFence system to protect two electrical vault buildings from flooding in case a hurricane threatens the region.

The pair of buildings, which sit next to Tampa Fire and Rescue’s Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting station near Airside A, house the equipment that powers the airfield lighting system.

Airfield lighting is vital to keeping aircraft moving, especially after dark, and will be necessary to assist the region with recovery efforts. It also would help prevent costly repairs that would likely result from water intrusion or inundation.

The two electrical vaults are susceptible to flooding that would potentially occur from storm surge during a Category 3 hurricane or higher. The barrier panels would be erected in the event of a storm threatening Tampa Bay and stored safely the rest of the time.

“Tampa International Airport has faced the threats of hurricane season time and again, and the installation of this AquaFence system is a forward-thinking resilience solution to protect some of our most critical assets from storm surge,” TPA Chief Development Officer Smitha Radhakrishnan said. “While we hope to avoid the need to deploy this barrier, TPA’s role as vital infrastructure to the Tampa Bay region underscores why we must prioritize our operational resilience from such extreme climatic events.”

The project includes foundations for the barrier; electrical and drainage improvements; fencing; and pumps to help keep water away from the buildings – even with the AquaFence keeping storm surge out, the pumps will divert heavy rainfall out of the protected area.

The 150 separate Clima Armour FloodWall panels that comprise the barrier system are made of steel, aluminum and laminated plywood, with UV-resistant and waterproof plastic membranes and gaskets that seal water out. They will snap together and be strapped to anchors in the concrete in advance of stormy weather.

The nine-foot barrier is the maximum height that manufacturer AquaFence makes.

“Flood protection should never be reactionary. True resilience comes from understanding your vulnerabilities and putting the right protections in place before a storm is on the horizon,” said Patrik Hansson, President of AquaFence. “Tampa International Airport is demonstrating that foresight by protecting critical infrastructure that keeps the airport running. After a major storm, restoring airport operations is vital to regional recovery. This investment adds another layer of protection to help TPA stay operational or quickly get back up and running when the community needs it most.”

The panels will stay in storage at TPA until needed, with a target to put them into place around the vaults by a contracted emergency response team at least 48 hours in advance of severe weather.

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board selected construction company H.L. Pruitt Corp. as the contractor at its August 2025 meeting. The total cost of the work and materials is $1.9 million and is part of the Airport’s Capital Budget.

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Tampa International Airport’s latest technology upgrade is just the ticket for quicker and easier movement into and out of all of TPA’s parking garages.

New ticket dispensers at all garage entrances and payment machines at garage exits are currently being installed at Short Term, Long Term and Economy. The updated touchscreen machines are state-of-the-art and are designed to make arriving and leaving a smooth and speedy experience.

The machinery is manufactured by Designa and on exit will now allow tap and pay and payment methods such as Apple Pay.

“This upgrade of the ticketing equipment in our parking garages is part of our continuous efforts to enhance our guest experience," TPA Vice President of Concessions & Commercial Parking Laurie Noyes said. "Our travelers will now be able to begin and end their trips with the latest technology, delivering more convenient and efficient access to and from our parking garages.”

Among the many improvements are modern license plate readers that will scan car tags on the way into and out of the garage.

If the traveler has pre-booked parking at TampaAirport.com/Park and provided their license plate at time of booking, the traveler will not have to scan the QR code when entering the garage as the system will read their license plate. When the driver comes back from their trip on time, they will be able to drive to the exit kiosk where the plate will be scanned again and open the exit arm automatically, without having to provide the QR code again.

The process will work similarly for a driver who leaves within the one-hour grace period for free parking at any garage. They will pull a ticket at the entrance, and if their stay is less than 60 minutes, the license plate scanner will tell the exit arm to raise without the driver having to provide the ticket.

Replacing all the machinery will take a few weeks while people who parked with tickets using the old equipment filter out of the garages. The entire replacement at all three garages, which involves swapping out 18 ticket dispensers and 18 payment machines, is scheduled to be completed in October. Employee parking areas will also receive new equipment with new and improved features.

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board at its December 2025 meeting approved $6.2 million for construction and materials on the project as part of the capital budget. Installation work is being performed by Manhattan Construction Company LLC.

Tampa International Airport travelers headed to or from Airsides A and C will see that both the Red and Blue automated shuttles are back on track.

After extensive guideway renovation and technology testing, TPA’s signature people-movers officially opened to the public at the end of August. The Red shuttles were cleared for passengers a few months after the Blue shuttles were commissioned in the spring.

The brand-new Innovia APM 300 R shuttle cars – in Red and Blue mated pairs at each Airside like the last shuttles – are the third generation of automated transports to and from the Main Terminal since TPA opened in 1971. The cars are manufactured by Alstom in the same Pittsburgh-area production facility as the old shuttles.

While the ride will be familiar to TPA’s travelers, the new shuttles feature improved lighting, video information screens, and doors with obstacle-detection systems.

TPA is the first airport in the world to have these shuttles paired with Alstom’s new proprietary operating system, along with new electrical running gear and concrete guideways. The previous generation of shuttles was installed in the 1990s and ran for well over 1 million miles each.

Airside E is getting the same upgrades, with the Red shuttle cars now installed and the new Blue cars coming soon. Work there is scheduled to be completed later this year.

The guideway rehabilitation and shuttle car replacement for Airsides A and C, which includes design and running surfaces, plus eight cars with their controls and signaling systems, cost $61 million. The Airside E replacement project, with four more cars plus guideways and software system, costs an additional $30 million. The projects are funded with bonds and state grants.

New cars also have been ordered for the forthcoming Airside D. Airside F, which has the newest cars of all the Airsides, is due to get new shuttles in the future.

Click on a photo or the video below to download it:

If you’re coming to Tampa International Airport in the next few weeks and are being dropped off at the Red Side of the Main Terminal, please be aware there’s going to be a short, temporary detour.

A pavement resurfacing project will affect the Red Departures drive to the Ticketing level beginning August 31 at 7 a.m. The project is similar to work done on the Blue Departures drive last summer.

Work crews will be removing and replacing the traffic coating on all four lanes of the drive as part of scheduled maintenance to ensure optimal facility quality and traffic flow. The closure is scheduled to last until mid-October.

Guests who are being dropped off for their flights at Red Side airlines will be directed to instead drive to and get out at the Red Express Curbsides to enter the Main Terminal.

Signage and Airport staff will direct travelers through the building to reach the Ticketing level on the second floor of the Main Terminal. Curbside bag check-in will be available at the Red Express Departures drive.

Travelers who are not checking bags and already have their boarding passes may head up the Red Express escalators or elevators to the third level to reach the shuttle to their Airside.

Red Side airlines include:

• Air Canada
• Alaska Airlines
• Avelo Airlines
• Breeze Airways
• British Airways
• Discover Airlines
• Edelweiss Air
• Frontier
• Southwest Airlines
• Sun Country Airlines
• WestJet

Check here for a full list of which side each airline is on.

During its May 2026 meeting, the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board of Directors approved a $1.2 million contract to Restocon Corp. to perform the work for the Red Departures rehabilitation project. 

Just a couple of months after Airside D’s structural steel started going up, crews are working around the clock creating some truly concrete results across the worksite.

Concrete platforms inside the steel framework have begun appearing on all levels of the building. The concrete is placed onto metal decking that has been reinforced with steel rebar on each floor.

The structural steel has now moved onto the sixth of 19 separate assembly sequences. A second crane was brought onsite in mid-July to help move the more than 7,300 steel members that will comprise the new Airside terminal.

Meanwhile, more workers have completed the building’s foundation and have been placing concrete for the rest of Airside D’s ground floor and the apron for aircraft across the worksite. Much of that work has been done overnight to mitigate risk and take advantage of cooler temperatures, which allow for better quality control for the concrete.

The existing apron is being demolished panel by panel and crushed onsite to be recycled into the properly sized aggregate (think different sizes of gravel) as that is used as six inches of underlayment for the new concrete.

The ground floor slab-on-grade of Airside D is eight inches of concrete placed over this recycled aggregate while the apron concrete, which needs to withstand the pressure from aircraft that can weigh several hundred tons, is 18 inches thick. When the project is completed, workers will end up placing almost 85,000 cubic yards of concrete for the apron alone.

The dry weather earlier this summer has kept all the work on schedule, with no major disruptions so far.

Other parts of the project that have reached milestones lately:

• The final steel and concrete guideway beams for the future Airside shuttles have been placed across the support piers to the steel supports for the shuttle station. Workers are now creating running surfaces for the shuttles and infrastructure for the baggage delivery system.
   
• Water and sewage pipes are being buried across the worksite with plans for connecting to city water later this year.
   
• Elevators and escalators are being fabricated for eventual installation across the building.
   
• A slightly new route for Bessie Coleman Boulevard is being cleared to connect the road with the future Airside D truck court underneath the shuttle guideway.
   
• Precast concrete panels to sheath the outside of the building are scheduled to be installed in September.

TPA broke ground on Airside D in December 2024, with the building scheduled to be open to the public in 2029. The design-build team for the project is led by construction company Hensel Phelps, with architecture and engineering company HNTB Corporation, in association with Gensler.

To sign up for TPA’s Airside D monthly newsletter and get more information about future business opportunities, click here.

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With another hurricane season well underway, Tampa International Airport has started a new project to help protect its facilities from potential flooding in future storms.

Construction crews this week are starting work to enable TPA to erect a temporary nine-foot flood barrier around the Airport’s two airfield electrical vaults in the event of a hurricane. These two buildings, which are next to Tampa Fire and Rescue’s Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting station near Airside A, house the machinery that powers lighting across the airfield.

Protecting these electrical vaults from flooding is important to helping restart Airport operations following a major storm. Airfield lighting is vital to keeping aircraft moving, especially after dark, and will be necessary to assist the region with recovery efforts. It also would help prevent costly repairs that would likely result from water intrusion or inundation.

When work is completed, TPA will have the ability to put up the barrier (as shown in the rendering at right) to keep storm surge out of the vaults, which are susceptible to the flooding associated with hurricanes that would be Category 3 or higher. The nine-foot barrier is the maximum height that manufacturer AquaFence makes, and would protect the buildings up to a Category 4 storm.

The project includes foundations for the barrier; electrical and drainage improvements; fencing; and pumps to help keep the storm surge away from the buildings.

The barriers will stay in storage at TPA until needed, and can be put into place around the vaults by a contracted emergency response team in about eight to 12 hours

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board selected construction company H.L. Pruitt Corp. as the contractor at its August 2025 meeting. The total cost of the work and materials is $1.9 million and is part of the Airport’s Capital Budget. The project is scheduled to be completed in August.

Tampa International Airport’s Airside D construction is now going to great lengths to the northwest of the Main Terminal, with shuttle guideway supports spanning as much as 160 feet being installed this week.

Crews from contractor Middlesex Corporation this week have been working overnight to begin installing the bridge superstructure between the new Airside D shuttle station in the Main Terminal and the construction site.

The first steel girders for the future guideway and concrete girders for the walkway between the shuttles have been lifted onto support piers and now span the George J. Bean Parkway. The steel girders, which were lifted together in pairs, weigh up to 80 tons, while the concrete girders weigh as much as 70 tons.

A concrete deck will later be added atop the center girders to form the emergency walkway and to cover two baggage conveyors that will deliver checked bags to the aircraft at Airside D.

Airside D will use the same type of automated shuttles that are currently being installed at Airsides A, C, and E. The steel girders on the outside of the walkway will be fitted with concrete decks, serving as the foundation for poured concrete running surfaces that will function as tracks for the shuttle cars on the guideway.

Structural steel installation to build the framework for Airside D began last month.

The guideway girder installation required overnight closures of the parkway as a pair of cranes lifted the spans into place. People driving to the Red Side of the Main Terminal will be detoured through Blue Side lanes and around the building. Please allow extra time if you plan to visit TPA on these nights and follow detour instructions. 

Travelers and workers who need to reach the Airport Marriott, the Air Traffic Control Tower or the Airport Employee Bus will have marked temporary routes to follow, as well. 

Construction crews will need more time to put up the supports south of the Parkway, necessitating another closure for the service road behind the Airport Marriott from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. the nights on June 12, 15, 16 and 17. 

In case of inclement weather, make-up days will be June 18, 19, 22, and 23.

Future closures will be necessary as other elements of the guideway bridge such as the concrete decks and running surfaces are installed.

For more information about the 16-gate Airside D, which is scheduled to open in 2029, please visit AirsideD.com.

Please click on an image or the video of the installation below to enlarge or download it:

People driving to Tampa International Airport this week will need to be aware of some late-night traffic changes coming to the George J. Bean Parkway.

Work crews will be lifting concrete and steel supports into place over the Parkway from midnight to 4 a.m. on the nights of June 9, 10, and  11.  An overnight closure of the Parkway will be necessary to enable installation of structural supports for the shuttle guideway from the Main Terminal to the future Airside D on the Airfield across the street. 

In case of inclement weather, make-up days will be June 12, 15 and 16. 

People driving to the Red Side of the Main Terminal will be detoured through Blue Side lanes and around the building. Please allow extra time if you plan to visit TPA on these nights and follow detour instructions. 

Travelers and workers who need to reach the Airport Marriott, the Air Traffic Control Tower or the Airport Employee Bus will have marked temporary routes to follow, as well. 

Construction crews will need more time to put up the supports south of the Parkway, necessitating another closure for the service road behind the Airport Marriott from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. the nights on June 12, 15, 16 and 17. 

In case of inclement weather, make-up days will be June 18, 19, 22, and 23.

The shuttle guideway will eventually support automated shuttle cars like the vehicles currently being commissioned at Airsides A, C, and E. Structural steel to build the framework for Airside D began installation last month.

For more information about the 16-gate Airside D, which is scheduled to open in 2029, please visit AirsideD.com.

Tampa International Airport’s Airside D is now heading skyward with a big helping hand from a new construction crane that is assisting workers with assembling the massive steel frame of the building.

The crane, with a lifting capacity of 300 tons, was assembled onsite this month and began lifting steel into place this week. It’s the beginning of a nine-month-long process to create the bones of the future 16-gate Airside.

Workers will be moving more than 7,300 steel members weighing a cumulative 6,200 tons as they are delivered to the construction site. The crane will lift the members into position one at a time to be secured in place by workers.

The assembly will be done in a series of 19 sequences that will allow the crane to move into position and build a specific portion of the building's frame before moving to the next part of the structure. A 20th sequence will build Airside D's cooling towers.

The work to erect the steel will involve more than 96,000 bolts and over 212,000 inches of welding. The buildout will continue as the framing is completed, with a second crane coming later this year to help.

GMF Steel Group, based in Lakeland, is fabricating the steel beams and columns that were first cast by steel suppliers, mostly from recycled steel scrap. GMF prepares the steel for installation by cutting it to the proper length, adding holes and welding on connections before delivering it to the construction site to be erected for the framework.

TPA broke ground on Airside D in December 2024, with construction scheduled to be open to the public in 2029. The design-build team for the project is led by construction company Hensel Phelps, with architecture and engineering company HNTB Corporation, in association with Gensler.

To sign up for TPA’s Airside D monthly newsletter and get more information about future business opportunities, click here.

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Travelers heading to and from Tampa International Airport from Pinellas County should be aware the Courtney Campbell Causeway will be closed in both directions for two nights this week.

Both eastbound and westbound lanes of State Road 60 across the Causeway are scheduled to be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. on the nights of Monday, May 11, and Tuesday, May 12. Westbound passengers will be able to turn around at Ben T. Davis Beach in order to access Rocky Point businesses.

Please follow all detour signage in the area.

The closure is necessary while workers perform overhead bridge work as part of a pedestrian overpass installation on the Clearwater side of the Causeway.

The dates are dependent on weather conditions; May 13 and 14 are backup dates. Further Causeway closures for work on SR 60 may be necessary on the nights of May 18 and 26, and also June 1, weather permitting.

For more information on this project, 437498-1-52-01, please go to the Florida Department of Transportation website.

The first vertical elements of Tampa International Airport’s future Airside D are beginning to appear this month as work crews have been assembling the building’s concrete elevator cores.

Six precast concrete cores forming shafts for 11 of Airside D’s 15 elevators – for passenger, cargo and service functions – are being put into place on the worksite, comprising some very visible and very important components of the $1.528 billion project.

These elevator cores will be the main arteries of movement between the main floor’s aircraft gates and passenger facilities, the ground-level U.S. Customs facility and the Mezzanine level that will house the Delta Sky Club and a common-use lounge.

Four more elevators will be built within the Airside’s second-floor steel framing, which is scheduled to start being erected in May.

The completed precast concrete towers range in height from 36 to 63 feet tall, with walls weighing as much as 49,000 pounds. The eight-inch-thick concrete panels that comprise the cores are made by Coreslab Structures and were cast at their facility in Tampa.

A crane lifts the panels into their positions atop existing concrete pits, where workers weld the panels to the foundations and to each other using dozens of steel clips at integrated points. Each core is then covered with a concrete cap that is secured at the top of the completed shaft, which will eventually house elevator cars and their operating machinery.

Also visible on the worksite are the beginnings of the shuttle platform supports to connect the 600,000-square-foot Airside D to TPA’s Main Terminal, as well as 310 foundation pads that will anchor support columns for the entire building. Crews last month were able to run and bury long spans of electrical & telecommunication conduits known as duct banks that will distribute the power throughout the building from what will be the Main Electric Room.

TPA broke ground on Airside D in December 2024, with construction scheduled to be completed by 2028 and be open to the public in 2029. The design-build team for the project is led by construction company Hensel Phelps, with Architecture and Engineering company HNTB Corporation, in association with Gensler.

To sign up for TPA’s Airside D monthly newsletter and get more information about future business opportunities, click here.

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Tampa International Airport’s latest big update is really on the move this week, as the Airport unveiled new Blue Shuttles being commissioned for travelers to use at Airsides A and C.

Airport officials introduced the sleek, automated cars Thursday by taking a few rides with members of the news media before the new Blue Shuttles were put into public service on Friday, March 13.

Passengers heading to and from the Airsides will notice the same familiar and smooth shuttle rides as always, but with a thoroughly modernized experience.

“TPA’s signature shuttles go back to our opening in 1971, and were the first of their kind at any airport in the world when they debuted,” Tampa International Airport CEO Michael Stephens said. “Now we are proud to offer another first, with TPA being the first airport in the world to offer these brand-new shuttles coupled with the new technology and operating system that will be guiding them.”

The next-generation Innovia APM R shuttle cars – a pair of mated Blue cars at both Airsides – are manufactured by Alstom in its Pittsburgh-area production facility. Alstom is the same company that manufactured the old cars.

These new shuttles not only use Alstom’s new proprietary software, but also have entirely new electrical running systems and concrete guideways to make their journey back and forth. The cars feature improved lighting, video information screens and doors with obstacle-detection systems.

“Today we’re proud to celebrate a new milestone in this decades-long partnership, introducing our latest and most advanced APM vehicles into service, designed and manufactured in the United States,” Alstom Americas President and CEO Michael Keroullé said. “This is an important part of our broader commitment to support the improvement of the airport’s shuttle system.”

The shuttle systems have been thoroughly tested for operational reliability and safety and now are ready for use. The prior cars were installed in the 1990s and ran for well over 1 million miles each.

The old Red Shuttles at Airsides A and C will continue to operate alongside the Blue Shuttles until early April to help with the extra traffic during the busy spring break travel period, the busiest time of year at TPA. Then the Red Shuttles will be shut down and replaced just like the Blue Side.

A similar update is also taking place at Airside E on a slightly different timeline. All the shuttles at the three Airsides are scheduled to be replaced by later this year.

The guideway rehabilitation and shuttle car replacement for Airsides A and C, which includes design and running surfaces, plus eight cars with their controls and signaling systems, is budgeted to cost $61 million. The Airside E replacement project requires four more cars – the Red Shuttle cars were delivered earlier this year and are currently being installed – plus guideways and switchgear and costs an additional $30 million. The projects are funded with bonds and state grants.

New cars also have been ordered for the forthcoming Airside D. Airside F, which has the newest cars of all the Airsides, is due to get new shuttles in the future.

Click on a photo or the video below to download it:

Travelers crossing Tampa Bay from Pinellas County on the Howard Frankland Bridge should be aware of an overnight detour that will affect access to Tampa International Airport.

The Florida Department of Transportation will begin closing the exit ramp from the northbound lanes of Interstate 275 to the flyover to TPA and westbound State Road 60 overnight starting in March as part of the Westshore Interchange improvement project, which began in January.

Drivers heading to SR 60 from the bridge between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. will instead be directed to take the West Kennedy Boulevard exit to the stoplight in front of WestShore Plaza and turn left to reach TPA, the Veterans Expressway and the Courtney Campbell Causeway.

The detour is scheduled to start March 2 and continue nightly between Monday and Friday for two weeks through March 13, and may be extended as required. The ramp closure is necessary for workers to remove existing lighting and guardrails, then install temporary lighting and barriers to accommodate construction for the project.

Please allow extra time to navigate this detour if you are traveling to the Airport for a late evening arrival or early morning departure during these dates. Southbound I-275 lanes will not be affected by this construction. Refer to the map below, which illustrates the detour.

Visit FDOT’s Westshore Interchange project page for more information about this work: https://www.fdottampabay.com/project/967/447107-2-32-447107-2-52-447107-3-52-447107-4-52

Board members greenlit the 100 percent design stage for the project, a state-of-the-art, 16-gate international and domestic gateway to Tampa Bay that will cost an estimated $1.528 billion. The Board also approved a $902 million supplemental contract for the Airside D project during the meeting.

Construction is scheduled to go vertical this year and be completed in late 2028, with the building opening to the public in 2029.

“Airside D is more than a new terminal; it is a bold vision for the future of travel in Tampa Bay. Thanks to the dedication and collaboration of our TPA team and partners, we’re setting a new standard for innovation, service, and hospitality in our region,” Airport CEO Michael Stephens said. “Once complete, Airside D will serve as Tampa Bay’s international gateway, welcoming the world with the world-class experience our guests expect from TPA.”

Airside D will help TPA, which currently serves about 25 million passengers per year, accommodate the region’s growth and serve up to 35 million annual passengers by 2037.

TPA released a final round of interior and exterior renderings and a brand-new animation for Airside D that illustrate an open and airy interior with soaring ceilings and lots of natural light, highlighting the beauty of the Tampa Bay region. The building will be 600,000 square feet, making it the largest Airside at TPA.

The renderings show several newly added design features of Airside D, including a special tribute to former Airport CEO Joe Lopano, who retired last April. A quote from Lopano mounted to the wall will greet visitors with a message reading, “We set our sights on a grand future because we have the ability to think big and achieve greatness. We owe it to our predecessors on whose shoulders we stand.”

The final design incorporates feedback from travelers that was gathered during a series of listening sessions TPA hosted last summer in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties. Those events drew community members and airport officials together to determine what guests wanted to see during their Airside D experience. Among the features added as a result of these discussions:

• More power outlets to ensure better availability
• More plants and greenery to create a relaxing environment
• A dedicated play area to entertain children
• A quiet room to help travelers deal with potential sensory overload

“From the beginning, the guiding principle behind Airside D has been a singular focus on delivering the very best amenities and travel experience to the millions of passengers who visit TPA each year,” TPA Chief Development Officer Smitha Radhakrishnan said. “Thoughtful and functional design, leading-edge technology, unmatched convenience and a sense of calm all come together in a facility shaped not just by expertise, but by the collective vision of our entire community.”

The final design includes previously released features, including:

• Cutting-edge shuttles that match the new models being installed at Airsides A, C and E
• A modern TSA security screening checkpoint
• A ground-level inspection facility for travelers arriving on international flights
• A mezzanine level with both a brand-new Delta Sky Club and a common-use lounge
• Innovative and dynamic media features that display moving images and animation
• Glass boarding bridges to allow scenic views of the airfield as passengers board and exit aircraft
• Shopping and dining locations at the center of the Airside and in hold rooms, with 360-degree views of the gates

The images are courtesy of the design-build team for the project, led by construction company Hensel Phelps, with Architecture and Engineering company HNTB Corporation, in association with Gensler.

In other business Thursday, the Board selected Austin Industries, Inc. as the design-builder for an expansion of the Main Terminal’s Ticketing Level. The Ticketing Level project will modernize the second floor, adding 28 new counter locations, relocating airline office space to a new and centralized 30,000-square-foot space, renovating the 135,000-square-foot floor to improve queueing and circulation while incorporating the latest technology. Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2029.

The Aviation Authority further announced the launch of a Call for Artists to expand the Airport’s renowned Public Art collection with eight new commissions to be installed across Airport facilities.

Between now and March 19, artists can apply to be considered for a chance to create one of the installations, six of which will be in Airside D, and one each in the two newly expanded security screening checkpoints in Airsides A and E, which opened in 2025.

More information, including more specifics on submission requirements and an FAQ, is available on the TPA Call for Artists page.

Airside D will also feature more than 10 food and retail units as part of an Airport-wide, multi-phase Concessions Redevelopment Program that will launch in the next year. More details about future solicitation opportunities with TPA’s Concessions Department are available here.

TPA broke ground on Airside D in December 2024 and has been prepping the site for major construction by removing concrete, installing secure fencing and establishing contractor offices, among other enabling work. The concrete that was removed was recycled to help prepare the site for construction. Workers have been building the foundations of the Airside to prepare for structural steel framing to begin this summer.

To sign up for TPA’s Airside D monthly newsletter and get more information about future business opportunities, click here.

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The new year will kick off some construction projects and bring some new features to the travel experience at Tampa International Airport. 

From upgrades that will modernize how you move through TPA to very visible progress on Airside D, an entirely new and modern Airside terminal,  2026 heralds some key upgrades to our campus. 

Here's a look at some of the new construction projects and amenities you'll notice across the Airport in 2026.

Airside D

The final design for TPA's state-of-the-art, 16-gate Airside terminal for international and domestic flights will be revealed in the coming weeks. There have been a few tweaks and adjustments throughout the past year, but the final design is almost ready for prime time. Construction to the northwest of the Airport's Main Terminal has so far been focused on enabling work, foundations and drainage, but you can expect to see structural steel beams starting to come up from the ground later this year. 

Shuttle replacements

The shuttles from the Main Terminal to Airsides A, C and E are being replaced with completely modern third-generation models. These are the latest and greatest versions featuring completely redesigned cars and new operating software and switchgear from the very same Pittsburgh-area company that designed and manufactured the first two generations. Expect to see new Blue shuttles in operation at A and C shortly, allowing their Red counterparts to be swapped out next. All Blue and Red shuttles at the three Airsides are scheduled to be replaced this year.

Call for Artists

TPA's famous Public Art Program just added a few new pieces with the Red Express Curbsides opening in 2025, but the collection is due to expand again. Several installations are earmarked inside Airside D, but also our expanded Security Screening Checkpoints in Airsides A and E, which also opened last year. A Call for Artists is coming in February to kick off the search for talented people to submit proposals for the available spaces. To learn more, go to our Call for Artists landing page.

Airside E reroofing

A brand-new security screening checkpoint opened at Airside E last year, adding almost 20,000 square feet of space to the building, but the rest of the structure is now due to get a new metal roof and gutters. Travelers will notice metal scaffolding going up around parts of the building over the next couple of months. The roof is original to the building, which opened in 2002, and will be replaced in phases. There shouldn't be any significant interruptions to travelers during the work, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2027.

Ticketing Level changes

TPA's modern, easy-to-navigate facilities are getting another upgrade! Our Ticketing Level on the second floor of our Main Terminal, which includes ticket counters and offices for our airline partners, is going to get a thorough renovation in the coming years.  The way people travel has changed a lot since the Airport opened in 1971, so we're planning to move and consolidate office spaces, expand the number of ticket counters and check-in kiosks and provide more room for our travelers as they prepare for their flights. The redesigned space will also tie into a new, consolidated baggage processing system that will serve all our Airsides in the future. While it will take some time for the public to see this project start construction, the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority is scheduled to select the design-builder soon, with design work commencing later this year. Stay tuned!

Tampa International Airport has retired another set of its aging Airside shuttle system, with the Red shuttle cars at Airside E getting removed this week to prepare for all-new, upgraded models.

A crane lifted the two cars off the Airside E guideway the night of Dec. 10 into the early morning of Dec. 11, placing them both on a flatbed truck for removal. These cars were installed in 2001 and have made about 4.6 million trips across the guideway.

The operation was similar to the shuttle car removals at Airsides A and C, which were commissioned in the 1990s and have rolled between their respective Airsides and the Main Terminal for about 1 million miles.

The red shuttle cars at Airside E will be replaced next year with the next-generation APM-300R shuttle cars manufactured by Alstom in its Pittsburgh-area production facility. Alstom is the same company that manufactured the old cars.

TPA will be the first Airport in the country to use the sleek, modern automated cars in conjunction with the new, proprietary software from Alstom to run them. This will thoroughly modernize the passenger journey aboard the shuttles while maintaining the familiar and efficient experience TPA travelers have had since the modern Airport opened in 1971.

The work involves removing the old cars, replacing the electrical running system and concrete guideways on which they run, and then installing and testing the new cars to ensure they are working smoothly. Since the software and shuttle cars are new, the testing phase has been proceeding carefully to optimize their operation.

That has left three of TPA’s Airsides with only one pair of shuttle cars in service instead of the usual two pairs. Once the modern cars are ready for passengers, they will go into operation and the alternate set of older shuttle cars will go through the same process. All the shuttles are scheduled to be replaced in 2026.

Blue shuttle cars have already been installed at both Airsides A and C for testing. The new Red shuttle cars for Airside E will be delivered in the coming weeks.

The guideway rehabilitation and shuttle car replacement for those two Airsides, which includes design and running surfaces, plus eight cars with their controls and signaling systems, is budgeted to cost $61 million. The Airside E replacement project requires four more cars plus guideways and switchgear and costs an additional $30 million. The projects are being funded with bonds and state grants.

New cars also have been ordered for the forthcoming Airside D. Airside F, which has the newest cars of all the airsides, is due to get new shuttles in the future.

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The Florida Department of Transportation is planning an overnight road closure across the Howard Frankland Bridge this week that may affect travelers heading to Tampa International Airport from southern Pinellas County.

FDOT is closing the northbound lanes overnight from 11 p.m., Tuesday, December 16, to 5 a.m., Wednesday, December 17,  to install overhead sign structures along northbound I-275, similar to work done in previous months.

Northbound on-ramps from Pinellas County will be closed from Gandy Boulevard to West Kennedy Boulevard during the work.

People driving from Pinellas County may take either the Courtney Campbell Causeway from Clearwater or the Gandy Bridge from St. Petersburg.

Drivers using the Gandy Bridge will be detoured to continue along U.S. Highway 92/Gandy Blvd., then turn north onto Dale Mabry Highway before heading west on Kennedy Blvd. From Kennedy Blvd., follow signs for State Road 60 to Memorial Highway until the exit for the George J. Bean Parkway to the Airport.

Please allow extra time to navigate this detour if you are traveling to the Airport for a late evening arrival or early morning departure on these dates. Southbound I-275 lanes will not be affected by this construction. See a map of the route below.

The construction dates are dependent on weather conditions; the back-up date would be December 17, if needed.

Visit FDOT’s Howard Frankland Bridge project page for more information about this work: https://www.fdottampabay.com/project/417/422904-2-52-01

Less than a year after opening a brand-new security screening checkpoint at Airside E, Tampa International Airport is now getting ready to replace the entire roof on the 23-year-old building.

Over the next couple of months, travelers will notice construction scaffolding going up on the north end of the Airside between Gates 62 and 68. Workers will be removing and replacing sections of the metal roof and gutters in phases, with the project scheduled to be completed by the end of 2027.

Airside E’s roof is original to the building and has reached the end of its life span. Passengers will see the scaffolding on the building during this period, but should not experience any significant interruptions to flight operations as roofers perform the work.

The roof of the new 19,542-square-foot security screening checkpoint, which opened in March, is new and does not need replacement. Airside E opened in 2002 and needed the new checkpoint because the building was designed and constructed prior to the establishment of the Transportation Security Administration.

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board selected the Beck Group as design-builder on the project in October 2024. The reroofing will cost about $22.7 million, and is included in the Aviation Authority’s Capital Budget.

Construction work for Tampa International Airport’s Airside D is going down – way down – before it can go up next year.

Workers are currently driving what are known as ductile iron pilings deep into the ground in the northwest corner of TPA’s airfield as part of the Airside terminal’s foundations.

The technique involves hammering almost 1,500 iron pipes between 4.65 and 6.5 inches wide into the ground an average of 40 to 50 feet to limestone bedrock. This improves the soil friction and creates a firm base for the foundation.

Some of the pipes are spaced into groups of three to five pipes at regular intervals and then filled with a concrete-like grout mixture before being capped with concrete pads that will support the building. Other pipes are arranged to undergo a similar process but will support a stem wall along the Airside’s perimeter.

Each individual pipe is designed to support an average of 5,000 pounds per square foot, although some support as much as 8,000 pounds each.

The foundation work began earlier this month and is scheduled to be completed in late December, with under-drainage system installation now underway. Several other projects that will enable construction of the project, including secure fencing, access roads and an office trailer complex, have been completed.

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board approved a $92 million supplemental contract in October that includes funding for structural steel, metal decking and precast concrete, which will be visible as the building goes vertical as soon as mid-2026. 

At approximately 600,000 square feet, Airside D will be the largest Airside at TPA when it’s completed. The project has a preliminary cost of $1.5 billion, with construction currently scheduled to be completed in late 2028. A final design for the project is expected soon from the design-build team for the project, which is led by construction company Hensel Phelps, with Architecture and Engineering company HNTB Corporation, in association with Gensler.

The new Airside D is being built in the same spot as the original Airside D, which closed and was demolished in 2007.

The Airside terminal is a centerpiece project of Phase 3 of TPA’s Master Plan, a blueprint for how the Airport will deal with projected traveler growth. The Airside will help TPA, which currently serves an estimated 25 million passengers annually, handle up to 35 million annual passengers by 2037. The project's official groundbreaking was in December 2024.

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Construction is progressing steadily on Tampa International Airport’s highly anticipated Airside D project, with crews quite literally paving the way to the work site.

Before any vertical construction can begin, major enabling work has transformed the future home of the building, which will be TPA’s first new Airside terminal in nearly 20 years. Fencing has gone up around the construction zone and there’s a new office complex for contractors working on the project, with a road connecting the two.

The site where Airside D is being built previously served as overnight parking for aircraft and was known as Hardstand D. The new fencing separates the site from the secured TPA airfield and will make it easier for workers to access the construction zone safely. Special identification badges will allow workers to enter the site, but not the aircraft operations area.

To support the construction team, crews have built an 11-acre contractor complex off Hoover Boulevard, just north of taxiways A and B. This area includes eight trailers with full utility hookups for water and electricity and has a 410-space parking lot, with room to expand as the project progresses.

Workers will be able to report to work at the complex, then reach the worksite on a road that connects the office trailers and parking lot to the construction site. The two-lane road is more than half a mile long and has an accompanying sidewalk.

The new fencing closed a portion of Bessie Coleman Boulevard so workers may more easily access fuel lines and remove an existing tunnel, and to separate the public and Airport traffic from the worksite. A short cutover roadway has been added west of the fenced area, connecting the George J. Bean Parkway to Bessie Coleman Boulevard just beyond the construction site. The detour helps maintain access for deliveries and employees traveling to Airsides E and F.

Over the summer, crews began cutting into the existing aircraft apron to make way for the foundations of the building. Instead of just hauling the concrete away, a more sustainable and efficient solution was to crush all of it into smaller pieces onsite to reuse it as the underlayment beneath the Airside D foundation, the new road and the contractor complex.

Under-drainage system installation is now underway, with building foundation work expected to begin in early November. Earlier this month, the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board approved a $92 million supplemental contract that includes funding for structural steel, metal decking and precast concrete components. These elements are expected to be visible as the building goes vertical as soon as the middle of 2026. 

At approximately 600,000 square feet, Airside D will be the largest Airside at TPA when it’s completed. The project has a preliminary cost of $1.5 billion, with construction currently scheduled to be completed in late 2028. A final design for the project is expected soon from the design-build team for the project, which is led by construction company Hensel Phelps, with Architecture and Engineering company HNTB Corporation, in association with Gensler.

The facility is being built to the northwest of TPA’s Main Terminal, in space that once was the home of the original Airside D, which existed when the Airport opened in 1971. That outdated facility was closed and demolished in 2007.

The new Airside D is a centerpiece project of Phase 3 of TPA’s Master Plan, a blueprint for how the Airport will deal with projected traveler growth. The Airside will help TPA, which currently serves an estimated 25 million passengers annually, handle up to 35 million annual passengers by 2037. The project's official groundbreaking was in December 2024.

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Tampa Executive Airport (VDF) is putting the finishing touches this week on multi-year airfield upgrade projects that have thoroughly modernized the Tampa Bay region’s busiest General Aviation facility.

Work began in 2020 to reconstruct the 5,000-foot Runway 5-23, VDF’s primary runway, as part of a multi-phase comprehensive improvement project to improve facilities and augment safety. New signage, electrical systems and bright and efficient LED lighting also were installed.

The new lighting was installed across the facility, including on the airfield, the airfield’s signage and around the airport’s hangars to improve visibility and security. VDF’s medium-intensity approach lighting system, which helps pilots land, also was upgraded.

“Keeping Tampa Executive Airport operational through years of construction while enhancing its safety and efficiency reflects the dedication of our entire team and all of our business partners,” HCAA Vice President of General Aviation Brett Fay said. “These improvements ensure VDF will remain a top-tier facility that continues to serve the Tampa Bay community for decades to come.”

By July 2024, work began to improve 5-23’s associated taxiways to allow larger General Aviation aircraft. For the final phase, secondary Runway 18-36, Apron C and its taxiways all have been rehabilitated. Apron C is VDF’s main apron, where larger aircraft connect with fixed-base operator Skyport Aviation.

All the work was completed while VDF remained open, requiring a complex series of phased closures to minimize the impact on tenants and the airport’s roughly 100,000 annual flight operations. Three privately developed hangars due to open in 2026 also are under construction. Finishing touches like painting stripes and markings are being completed this month.

The work at VDF cost $33 million and included funds from the Florida Department of Transportation and federal Airport Improvement Program grants, and Hillsborough County Aviation Authority funds and capital reserves.

CW Roberts Contracting was the prime contractor for Runway 5-23 and its taxiways, with electrical and lighting by Aviation Construction and Electric. Ajax Industries was the prime contractor for work on Runway 18-36 and its taxiways, with H.L. Pruitt Corp. working on electrical and lighting.

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The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority’s Board of Directors this month approved the Authority's Fiscal Year 2026 budget, which includes funding for some big construction projects designed to accommodate continued growth at Tampa International Airport.

The new budget, which covers projected revenue and expenses from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, 2026, estimates the Airport will see a 3.2 percent increase in passenger traffic versus FY2025, with a total of 25.7 million visitors flying in and out of TPA.

That will result in a projected $7.5 million increase in operating expenses to a total of $212.1 million, and a $12.8 million boost in revenues to $493 million. Overall, the Aviation Authority projects a pre-capital bottom line of $174.6 million.

The Board approved the budget unanimously at their Sept. 4 meeting.

The approval allows the Authority to move forward with a capital program that includes 34 projects totaling $835.5 million, including some highly visible projects that will improve and modernize key portions of the traveler experience.

The program includes $298.6 million to upgrade TPA’s checked baggage system to a modern setup that will serve all Airside terminals with state-of-the-art equipment.

The new design will centralize control of the system and help passengers expedite baggage drop-off with their airlines. The changes will improve efficiency and resiliency, lower overall maintenance needs and optimize the Main Terminal to enable expected growth.

The checked baggage system is currently scheduled to be completed in late 2028.

Also part of the capital program is $285.7 million to expand and renovate the Ticketing Level on the second floor of the Main Terminal.

This modernization includes adding more ticket counter space and moving individual airline offices from their current locations behind each counter to consolidated office space on the West side of the building. Counters will then be pushed back several feet to free up floor space and allow more room for passenger queuing and check-in kiosks.

The Ticketing Level project is currently scheduled to be completed in late 2029.

Both the checked baggage system and Ticketing Level projects are designed to streamline the check-in process and better serve the way guests travel in the 21^st century. The improvements will complement the opening of the new, 16-gate Airside D, which broke ground in December and is scheduled to be completed in late 2028. The $1.5 billion Airside D is being built to help TPA welcome its projected growth to almost 35 million annual passengers by 2037.

The capital budget also includes funding for runway and taxiway rehabilitation and maintenance, new passenger boarding bridges for Airside E and other projects.

About $807.3 million of the total capital program will be funded from either Authority reserves or the issuance of Authority debt.

The FY2026 Budget Book is available here.

Tampa International Airport welcomed some big changes to its Red Side on Monday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of its new Red Express Curbsides. 

Community partners joined Airport officials to mark the opening this week of the building and traffic lanes, which are on the north side of the Airport's Main Terminal building. While crews are finishing some minor work on the area this month, the Red Express building will open to the traveling public at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12. 

The new Curbs mirror TPA's award-winning Blue Express Curbsides and allow travelers who are not checking bags and have electronic boarding passes to skip the Ticketing level when departing and the Baggage Claim level when arriving. This innovative feature was a first-of-its-kind experience at a U.S. airport when the Blue Express Curbsides first opened in November 2021, and has proven popular with TPA's travelers.

"Less than four years after the Blue Express curbs opened, we see that about half of our guests flying on Blue Side airlines use them," Airport CEO Michael Stephens said. “Now we will be offering the same innovation and efficiency to our travelers on the Red Side, with this bright, clean and thoroughly modern building.”  

The Red Express project includes four additional Arrivals lanes and four additional Departures lanes to ease traffic congestion, doubling the number of Express lanes from eight to 16. The Red Express Curbs will serve passengers using airlines on the the Airport's Red Side. These include Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Avelo Airlines, Breeze Airways, British Airways, Discover Airlines, Edelweiss Air, Frontier, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Sun Country Airlines and WestJet.

The Curbs are part of an expansion that adds more than 65,000 square feet of space to the facility, including a larger transfer level on the third floor of the Main Terminal and a shuttle lobby for the future Airside D. The new space includes dynamic public art installations by renowned artists Claudia Comte, Jason Bruges and Janaina Tschape. Construction on the Red Side first required the removal of the Airport’s 1970s-era Administration Building before adding the new lanes and building.

Signage around the Airport will now include Red Express to direct drivers to choose either the Express lanes or standard, full-service lanes when dropping off or picking up. Travelers using ride-sharing services like Uber or Lyft can choose Red Express as a pick-up or drop-off point in addition to the Blue Express, depending on their location. 

“The thought that has gone into this project, not just from the design standpoint but from the concept of the Express Curbs, going back to the planning stages, is just amazing," TPA Chief Development Officer Smitha Radhakrishnan said. “All you have to do is look around and you see the impeccable execution of that very concept, and to realize that our passengers are going to use this amenity and appreciate it for decades to come.”

The completion of this project marks the end of construction for Phase 2 of the Airport’s three-phase Master Plan, a blueprint for managing growth at TPA that was conceived in 2012. Other Phase 2 projects that have been completed include the Airport’s new Central Utility Plant and SkyCenter One office complex.  

Phase 3 is the construction of the 16-gate Airside D, which broke ground in December and is scheduled to open to the public in late 2028.

The project encompassing the Red Express building and its traffic lanes, an expanded walkway to the Airport Marriott hotel and the shuttle station cost $109 million. Hensel Phelps and HNTB are the design-build team for both the Red and Blue Express Curbsides, and are also the design-builders for Airside D.

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Note: This work is scheduled to resume at 1 a.m. on July 22.

Travelers being dropped off at the Blue Side of Tampa International Airport’s Main Terminal this summer should be aware of a pavement resurfacing project that will require a short detour when they show up for their flights.

The Blue Departures drive to the Ticketing level will be closed for a few weeks beginning July 7 as work crews remove and replace the traffic coating on all four lanes as part of scheduled maintenance to ensure optimal facility quality and traffic flow. The closure is scheduled to last until mid-September.

Guests who are being dropped off for their flights at Blue Side airlines will be directed to instead drive to and get out at the Blue Express Curbsides to enter the Main Terminal.

Signage and Airport staff will direct travelers through the building to reach the Ticketing level on the second floor of the Main Terminal. Curbside bag check-in will be available at the Blue Express Departures drive.

Travelers who are not checking bags and already have their boarding passes may head up the Blue Express escalators or elevators to the third level to reach the shuttle to their Airside.

Blue Side airlines include:

• Aeromexico
• American Airlines
• Avianca
• Cayman Airways
• Copa Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• Havana Air
• JetBlue
• Porter Airlines
• United
• Virgin Atlantic

Check here for a full list of which side each airline is on.

This Blue Departures rehabilitation is part of a larger project that also includes similar work on Level 4 of the Short Term Parking Garage. The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board of Directors approved a contract for almost $3.5 million at its November 2024 meeting to Restocon Corporation to perform work on the project.

TPA’s guests may see extra work being done on the Airport’s runways this summer, but the scheduled maintenance shouldn’t cause any major travel issues.

Two of three of Tampa International Airport’s runways – the 1R-19L runway east of the Main Terminal and the east-west 10-28 runway – and several of its taxiways will be undergoing pavement work for several months. This work is necessary to keep pavement in a state of good repair and ensure compliance with FAA standards. 

Crews are removing old sections of concrete to be hauled away, inspecting underneath the slabs and then preparing the site and pouring new concrete in its place.

This work requires some temporary closures as construction crews repair and replace the concrete and asphalt. That may extend taxi times for aircraft on the ground at times as they navigate around construction, but the Airport will continue to operate all flights.

Concrete slab replacement started earlier this month and will last into late Fall.

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board of Directors approved a contract for $13.2 million at its March 2025 meeting. Ajax Paving Industries of Florida LLC is performing the work on the airfield.

It’s a rocky start for Tampa International Airport’s future Airside D – but in a good way.

Looking out at the site of TPA’s first new Airside in nearly 20 years, visitors to the Airport can currently see mounds of broken concrete and rocks. Workers have been carefully removing more than 467,000 square feet of concrete apron formerly used as a space for aircraft to park overnight at TPA.

But that concrete isn’t heading to a landfill; almost all of it is in the process of being recycled to help build the new Airside.

Heavy equipment has been jackhammering the grid that outlines the new Airside. The big chunks of concrete that result are sorted and sifted to remove rebar, wire mesh and other debris, then crushed into smaller bits being piled up on the side of the worksite.

Those smaller rocks will be reused in several ways, including as gravel for the foundation of the new Airside and its drainage system, and as a base for construction and access roads being built around the worksite.

The process has been moving swiftly, with work starting March 31 and on track to wrap in the next couple of weeks.

This concrete demolition project was part of a $91 million enabling contract awarded by the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board of Directors in December to kick off the onsite work, which also includes installing security fencing, establishing contractor offices and utility work, among other things.

At approximately 600,000 square feet, Airside D will be the largest Airside at TPA when it’s completed. The project has a preliminary cost of $1.5 billion and is scheduled to open to the public in 2028.

The facility is being built to the northwest of TPA’s Main Terminal, in space that once was the home of the original Airside D, which existed when the Airport opened in 1971. That outdated facility was closed and demolished in 2007.

The new Airside D is a centerpiece project of Phase 3 of TPA’s Master Plan, a blueprint for how the Airport will deal with projected traveler growth. The Airside will help TPA, which currently serves an estimated 25 million passengers annually, serve up to 35 million annual passengers by 2037.

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A big-time trio will soon be making their debut at TPA, with three massive starfish sculptures moving into the Main Terminal as part of the Airport’s newest public art installation.

Renowned visual artist Claudia Comte’s “Starfish Family | Dancing Algae” has recently been installed in its permanent home in the future Airside D shuttle lobby near the Red Express Curbsides area on Level 3.

“Tampa International Airport has been working for years to bring to life this fantastic installation from a world-class artist,” said Airport Marketing Manager Kelly Figley, who oversees TPA’s public art program. “When Airside D is completed, this is going to be the first thing travelers see when they enter the Main Terminal from the shuttle stations.”

The artwork consists of three massive starfish carved from Italian Carrara marble, placed in front of a black and white wall painting representing the constant movement of waves and algae. Comte, who traveled to TPA to oversee the initial installation work earlier this month, said she’s excited about the contrast that the smooth white marble sculptures and graphic mural will create.

“Optically, I think it’s going to be very strong,” she said. “I’m hoping for the passerby, for the visitors, the people of the Airport to really experience some kind of stillness with the starfish and movement with the wall painting.”

Each starfish started as a wooden shape that Comte created with a chainsaw and then had sculpted from marble blocks. She revealed that the starfish family already has names – Sam, Kai and Leo – after her own partner and two young sons. Sam, the largest of the three, weighs about 3,000 pounds.

The future Airside D shuttle lobby and Red Express Curbsides are part of a major Main Terminal expansion that will be finished later this summer.

The Red Express Curbsides will mirror the award-winning Blue Express Curbsides experience on the Main Terminal’s south side, allowing travelers who don’t need to access the Baggage Claim or Ticketing levels quick and easy access to and from the Airsides.

Airside D, meanwhile, broke ground in December and is scheduled to open to the public in 2028 and connect to the shuttle lobby that is finishing construction now. For more information about the new airside terminal, go to AirsideD.com or sign up for our monthly Ascend with TPA newsletter.

All that continuing construction means the starfish family is currently out of public view, but will be a hands-on installation when the space opens to Airport guests in a few months.

Comte said she can’t wait to see how travelers interact with the artwork once they can get up close.

“Usually people really like to engage with my work,” Comte said. “They probably will use it as a background to take selfies, to touch the starfish. I’m hoping people will sit or lay down on the sculptures as well.”

Learn more about the artist and how she created her new work in the video below:

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The first pair of brand-new shuttles arrived at Tampa International Airport’s Airside A early Wednesday morning, as crews worked overnight to lift the new cars onto the elevated guideway between the Airside and the Main Terminal.

Workers used a crane to raise the Blue shuttles from flatbed trucks early Wednesday, reversing the process they used to remove the old Blue cars earlier this month after three decades and more than a million miles of service.   

“Installing these brand-new Blue shuttles at Airside A is a major milestone for the upgrades we’re making across Tampa International Airport’s facilities,” Airport Chief Development Officer Smitha Radhakrishnan said. “Our travelers have been using our signature shuttles for decades, and we’re proud to start installing these state-of-the-art vehicles to help enhance their journey going forward.”

The new shuttle cars are sleek, updated versions of the automated technology originally made famous by TPA’s hub-and-spoke layout. This is the third generation of these vehicles, still manufactured by the same company that made the old cars, and feature updated interiors with durable flooring and video screens. The new cars are also quieter and more energy efficient.

While these cars are brand new, the passenger journey aboard the shuttles will continue to be the smooth and familiar experience TPA travelers have had since the modern Airport was opened.

"Tampa International Airport and Alstom have a longstanding partnership in innovation, starting with the introduction of the world's first driverless Automated People Mover system in 1971," said Michael Keroullé, President of Alstom Americas, which manufactures the shuttles. "Our latest APM R shuttle cars, integral to the airport's modernization, blend familiar designs with cutting-edge technology to meet the needs of a rapidly growing city."

Now that they have been put in place, the new APM-300R cars will be commissioned and tested with new software, and will go into operation later this year. Then the old Red shuttle cars will be removed and replaced. Airside C will undergo a similar replacement in the coming months.

The guideway rehabilitation and shuttle car replacement, which includes design and running surfaces, plus eight cars with their controls and signaling systems, is budgeted to cost $61 million. The project is being funded with bonds and state grants.

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board of Directors approved the shuttle replacement in October 2021.

Replacement cars have already been ordered for Airside E and the forthcoming Airside D, scheduled to open in 2028. Airside F, which has the newest cars of all the Airsides, is due to get new shuttles in the future.

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Drivers headed to Tampa International Airport may be affected by road closures on the George J. Bean Parkway on several nights the next two weeks, mainly affecting access to the Red Side of the Airport for Arrivals and Departures.

The Airport will be implementing detours overnight starting April 28 on the Parkway, which serves as the main thoroughfare into and around TPA’s Main Terminal. Some nights will involve closing some or all lanes and rerouting traffic, while other nights will involve closing the Red Arrivals drive entirely.

The closures are necessary to install new trusses (pictured) over the roadway to eventually hold signage as the Airport’s Red Express Curbsides and Main Terminal expansion project nears completion.

Temporary barriers and workers will direct traffic while the temporary detours are in effect, which will be from Monday through Friday morning for the next two weeks, April 28 to May 2 and May 5 to 9. No work will be done Friday, Saturday or Sunday nights.

Expect detours to begin by about 10 p.m. each night and continue through the morning hours, although the duration may vary depending on the date.

Please make a note of the dates and give yourself extra time if you are coming to the airport, especially if you are picking up travelers from the Red Side of the Main Terminal.

The $109 million project encompassing the Red Express building and its traffic lanes, an expanded walkway to the Airport Marriott and a shuttle station for the future Airside D, is scheduled to be completed in Summer 2025.

Tampa International Airport's Airside A Blue shuttle cars were officially retired this week when they were removed from their elevated guideway between the Main Terminal and the Airside to make way for their modern replacements.

Workers used a crane early Wednesday morning to lift the two cars onto a flatbed truck and haul them away. Since being commissioned in the 1990s, the old cars have rolled back and forth for about 1 million miles. 

The new APM-300R shuttle cars that will replace them are due in the coming weeks. They are currently being tested at the Pittsburgh-area production facility for Alstom, the same company that manufactured the old cars.

The new shuttle cars are sleek, updated versions of the automated technology originally made famous by TPA’s hub-and-spoke layout. While these vehicles will be brand new, the passenger journey aboard the shuttles will continue to be the familiar, efficient experience TPA travelers have had since introduced in 1971.

The new Blue cars will go into operation later this year after they are installed and tested. Then the old Red shuttle cars will be removed and replaced. Airside C will undergo a similar replacement in the coming months.

The guideway rehabilitation and shuttle car replacement, which includes design and running surfaces, plus eight cars with their controls and signaling systems, is budgeted to cost $61 million. The project is being funded with bonds and state grants.

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board of Directors approved the shuttle replacement in October 2021.

Replacement cars have already been ordered for Airside E and the forthcoming Airside D, scheduled to open in 2028. Airside F, which has the newest cars of all the airsides, is due to get new shuttles in the future.

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The checkpoint vastly improves the guest experience at Airside A, which was designed and built prior to the establishment of the Transportation Security Administration and opened in 1995.

“This is yet another very important investment that TPA has made to keep the passenger journey as seamless and stress-free as possible,” TPA Executive Vice President of Planning & Development and Maintenance Smitha Radhakrishnan said. “Like the security screening area expansion at Airside E, we took great care to design a space that was open, well-lit, uses the latest technology, and creates a welcoming environment for our travelers as they make their way through our airport.”

The expansion adds 20,560 square feet of new space to the Airside, which increases queuing room and allows the checkpoint to grow from six to seven lanes. Five of those lanes will have new computed tomography machines, which won’t require travelers to remove shoes or electronics from baggage during screening.

“TSA continues to see record passenger volume at Tampa International Airport’s security checkpoints and has been working closely with the airport to prepare for future growth,” said Kirk Skinner, TSA Federal Security Director for TPA. “The expansion of the airside checkpoints allows us space to add new technology that improves both security and efficiency.”

The Airport is phasing in these machines across all Airsides thanks to the efforts of several members of Tampa Bay’s U.S. Congressional delegation to acquire the equipment.

The checkpoint is accessible through a new Airside A shuttle lobby passageway. Nearly floor-to-ceiling windows and high ceilings give the space a bright and open feeling, with aircraft visible from the queuing area. The original shuttle lobby will next be reconfigured as part of the project.  

Boston-based design-build firm Suffolk Construction, in partnership with consulting firm AECOM, has been working on the project at both Airside A and Airside E.

"Suffolk is incredibly proud to celebrate the completion of Phase One at Tampa International Airport (TPA),” said Sam Sleiman, Executive Vice President of National Transportation at Suffolk. “Despite the challenges posed by two major hurricanes, our dedicated team demonstrated strength and resilience, working closely with TPA and the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority to ensure these spaces were delivered on time and on budget. This achievement underscores our commitment to collaboration and innovation, and our steadfast dedication to excellence."

The project has a construction cost of $65.1 million and is being funded almost entirely with bonds and $525,000 in FDOT grants.

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board of Directors approved funding at its August 2023 meeting.

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Tampa International Airport will continue to upgrade its shuttles from the Main Terminal to the gates by beginning work on Airside E infrastructure this month.

The replacement of the Airside E shuttles will mirror the work currently being done at both Airside A and Airside C, and will include refurbishing the concrete guideways, or tracks, the shuttles use to roll to the passenger terminal.

Like those shuttles, the red and blue cars carrying travelers to and from Airside E have been in operation since the 1990s and have traveled more than a million miles, so they are due to be replaced.

The new cars will be a noticeable upgrade from the current vehicles. The Alstom APM 300R will be the third generation of shuttle car that TPA will use for its Airsides. Alstom is the same company that manufactured the original shuttles the Airport used starting in 1971.

Since thousands of passengers still need to travel to the Airside each day, this work will be done one side at a time before the new shuttle cars arrive. Airside E is scheduled to switch to a single-shuttle operation on March 24, when the blue shuttle will be taken out of service.

The first new Airside E shuttle cars are scheduled to arrive in December, with the second set coming in 2026.

A temporary canopy is being installed over the walkway between the red and blue shuttles. Should guests need to walk between the Airside and the Main Terminal in the event of an emergency or required maintenance on the operating shuttle, the canopy will cover the path and separate walkers from the shuttle guideways with safety mesh.

Customer service representatives will be stationed at both ends of the shuttles at peak travel times to help direct guests while shuttles are limited to a single lane. During those times, passengers may experience longer-than-normal delays getting to their gates and are always encouraged to arrive at the Airport two hours before departures.

Cars for the upcoming Airside D are next on the list. Airside F, which has the newest cars of all the airsides, is due to get new shuttles sometime in the future.

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority approved the shuttle replacement project in October 2021. The total budget for replacing the cars, guideways and their controls and signaling systems at Airsides A, C and E was budgeted to cost $77.5 million. The work is being funded with bonds and state grants.

Tampa International Airport on Monday kicked off its annual spring break travel period with a big change at Airside E, officially dedicating a 19,542-square-foot security checkpoint filled with new screening equipment.

The new space is a major upgrade for Airside E, which was designed and built prior to the establishment of the Transportation Security Administration and opened in 2002. The additional queueing space allows the checkpoint to expand from six to seven lanes, featuring the latest screening technology.

Airport CEO Joe Lopano praised the teamwork involved in upgrading the Airside’s checkpoint just as passenger traffic was increasing for TPA’s busiest travel period of the year.

“With our busy Spring Break travel period kicking off this month, this is a great time to be able to celebrate the opening of this checkpoint,” Lopano said. “The fast-paced growth at TPA in recent years led us to right-size the space to modernize and enhance traveler safety and security, thanks to the dedication of all the partners involved in this project.”

Lopano was joined by U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee, Transportation Security Administration Federal Security Director Kirk Skinner and Suffolk Construction’s General Manager in Tampa Jim Scarpace.

Lee was representing a group Tampa Bay Congressional delegates including Gus Bilirakis, Vern Buchanan, Kathy Castor, Scott Franklin, Anna Paulina Luna, Greg Steube, who worked together to procure the TSA screening equipment for the Airport.

“What a pleasure it was to see months of hard work come to fruition today at Tampa International Airport,” Lee said. “I am proud to have played a part in securing funding for the new TSA security screening equipment at TPA to help streamline and improve the security process and ensure residents and visitors can travel safely and efficiently. The Tampa Bay Area has seen monumental growth in recent years, and I am excited to keep working to invest in technology and infrastructure that supports the growth of our entire region.”

The checkpoint is accessible through a new passageway in the southeast corner of the Airside E shuttle lobby. With ample windows and high ceilings, the area has a brighter and more open feeling than the previous checkpoint, which will be reconfigured as part of the renovation.

Airside A, which opened in 1995, is undergoing a similar expansion for its checkpoint, and is scheduled to completed in the coming weeks.

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board of Directors approved funding for the project, which includes both Airsides, at its August 2023 meeting. The project has a construction cost of $65.1 million and is being funded almost entirely with bonds and $525,000 in FDOT grants.

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Travelers headed to Airsides A and C at Tampa International Airport will be getting an up-close look at new shuttles that are scheduled to arrive later this year.

Brand-new Blue shuttle cars earmarked for Airside A are in the final stages of testing by Alstom, the same company that manufactured the current cars and the original shuttles TPA used when it opened in 1971.

Those cars are due to be delivered later this year, with the Blue cars for Airside C to follow.

The new shuttle cars are sleek, updated versions of the of the automated-tech originally made famous by TPA’s hub-and-spoke layout. While these vehicles will be brand new, the passenger journey aboard the shuttles will continue to be the familiar, efficient experience TPA travelers expect.

“Our current shuttle cars were designed and engineered in the late ‘80s and have performed admirably over their nearly 25-year life span at our airport,” said Matthew Deloatche, TPA Senior Manager of Design for the Airport’s Planning & Development department.  “Knowing how vital these cars are to the success of our facility, we are ecstatic to unveil the next generation of TPA’s transit to our guests and the Tampa Bay community.”

Construction crews have been working for months to replace bearing pads and refurbish the concrete guideways, or tracks, the shuttles use to roll to the Airsides. The work has necessitated single-shuttle operations at both Airsides while the project progresses.

Once the new cars start to arrive, the old Blue shuttles will be removed and the new shuttles will be lifted onto the guideways with a crane (overnight) so that they can be put into use while factory production of the Red shuttles is completed.

The new APM-300R shuttles are currently being tested at the Pittsburgh-area production facility for Alstom, the same company that manufactured the current cars, which have rolled back and forth for about 1 million miles since being commissioned in the 1990s, and the original shuttles TPA featured when the Airport opened in 1971.

TPA’s Planning & Development team recently traveled to the Alstom factory to see the cars being manufactured and witness them in motion on the testing track before they are shipped to Tampa Bay.

“It was truly amazing to witness these impressive machines being assembled by hand, right here in the United States. These new trains are the product of high-tech engineering and a healthy dose of good, old-fashioned elbow grease,” Deloatche said. “For a project that began planning over 5 years ago, it was surreal to ride our new train for the first time.”

The guideway rehabilitation and shuttle car replacement, which includes design and running surfaces, plus eight cars with their controls and signaling systems, is budgeted to cost $61 million. The project is being funded with bonds and state grants.

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board of Directors approved the shuttle replacement in October 2021.

Replacement cars have already been ordered for Airside E and the forthcoming Airside D, scheduled to open in 2028. Airside F, which has the newest cars of all the airsides, is due to get new shuttles in the future.

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Tampa International Airport’s Red Express Curbsides building is stepping up its construction, with work crews installing the structure’s escalators, staircases and elevators.

The Red Express Curbsides, which will mirror the award-winning Blue Express Curbsides that opened in November 2021, are a three-level concept like the Main Terminal. Departing travelers who are not checking bags and have electronic boarding passes can skip the Ticketing Level on the second floor and head straight to their gate from the third level of the Main Terminal. Arriving passengers will be able to go straight from the third level to the first floor to meet a ride.

The express escalators, staircases, and elevators will allow travelers to go up and down all three floors of the new building. Forklifts installed the frames for the escalators and staircases, and the mechanical components of the three elevators are being assembled in place in the new shafts.

The project is part of Phase 2 of the Airport’s three-phase Master Plan, a blueprint for managing growth at TPA that was conceived in 2012. Other Phase 2 projects that have been completed include the Airport’s new Central Utility Plant and SkyCenter One office complex.  

Phase 3 is the construction of the 16-gate Airside D, which broke ground last month and is scheduled to open to the public in 2028. Work has begun in the space where Airside D will be built, to the northwest of the Main Terminal in a spot previously used by aircraft parking at TPA overnight.

That space is currently being cordoned off as a worksite for Airside D, with apron markings being removed and a new temporary service road being built. Fencing around the site will be erected in the coming weeks.

The $109 million project encompassing the Red Express building and its traffic lanes, an expanded walkway to the Airport Marriott and a shuttle station for Airside D, is scheduled to be completed in Summer 2025.

Hensel Phelps and HNTB are the design-build team for both the Red and Blue Express Curbsides, and are also the design-builders for Airside D.

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Arriving passengers with checked luggage will notice a new look for Tampa International Airport’s Bag Claim area this holiday season.

The first floor of the Main Terminal boasts a bright and airy look on both the Red and Blue sides, as part of a major update for what is often a traveler’s last impression of TPA before leaving the Airport.

New carpet, lighting and drop ceilings now greet guests who are picking up checked bags. Brand-new LED signage to identify the baggage belts has been installed across the first level.

The signs have larger screens with higher resolution, and more room to display flight information.

The new ceiling replaces a system that dated back to 1998, and the fresh carpet updates flooring that was in use since 2008.

The upgrades were made to improve the finishes and functionality to make the area brighter and more user-friendly, with almost all of the work being done overnight to limit disruptions to travelers.

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority approved $18.4 million last year for the project, which started in January and is scheduled to be fully completed later this month, as contractor DPR Construction puts the final touches on the work.

Work is closing in – literally – for an expansion project that is dramatically growing the space for Transportation Security Administration checkpoints at two of Tampa International Airport’s Airsides.

Airside A, which opened in 1995, and Airside E, opened in 2002, both were designed and built prior to 9/11. That means they don’t have sufficient screening space for modern TSA security checkpoints and require the overhaul, which started last year.

Now the expansions have moved on from foundations and framing and are in the process of being enclosed to move ahead with interior work.

At Airside A, crews are installing windows on the departure level that span nearly the entire floor-to-ceiling height (17 feet, 8 inches) of the new screening area. The roof of the 20,560-square-foot space is also getting its rounded, mansard roofing, a signature feature of Airside A.

Airside E’s checkpoint also is nearly fully enclosed, including clerestory windows above the space and a sloped area that will lead to aircraft gates. The checkpoint addition will be 19,542 square feet when completed.

Both checkpoints will feature seven screening lanes, queuing space and a recomposure area to collect baggage and put on shoes and belts. The spaces also will include offices for TSA staff.

Interior finish work is slated for the coming months, with infrastructure for the new screening equipment being built into the floor and drywall being installed. Tile and carpet will go in before the space opens, with work expected to be completed in summer 2025.

The project has a construction cost of $66.5 million and is being funded almost entirely with bonds and $525,000 in FDOT grants. The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board of Directors approved funding in August 2023.

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All of Level 5 of Tampa International Airport’s Short Term Parking Garage has reopened to guests, marking the end of a project to decommission and remove the Airport’s 1990s-era monorail system.

The old monorail system that ran between Level 7 of the Long Term Parking Garage and Level 5 of the Short Term Parking Garage operated for more than 20 years, but had seen declines in ridership and was in need of costly repairs and upgrades before it was shut down in 2021.

Work crews removed the old monorail station and tracks from Long Term last year before focusing on Short Term. Removing infrastructure from Short Term required blocking off much of Level 4 and all of Level 5. 

The project also including installing moving walkways on Level 4 of the Long Term garage to help move guests more quickly to the Main Terminal. That portion of the project opened last June.

Portions of the Short Term garage also had been blocked off at times in the past couple of years to accommodate work on the current Red Express Curbsides construction on the Main Terminal.

With all those changes completed, both garages together gained more than 550 new parking spaces, helping address demand for more parking at the Airport.

The total cost of the walkway installation and monorail removal project is $30.6 million and is part of the Airport’s Capital Improvement Program.

Tampa International Airport is receiving more than $5 million in infrastructure grants from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP).

AIP grants fund airport projects such as runways, taxiways, lighting, markings, signage and more to strengthen U.S. aviation infrastructure. The federal grants pay a portion of eligible airport projects each year and are funded by taxes on airplane tickets and aviation fuel and other fees.

TPA is receiving $2.1 million to purchase and install a temporary flood barrier that can be deployed around the airfield’s electrical/lighting vault buildings to ensure power to airfield lighting on the main runways can remain on during potential storm-surge and flooding events. These vaults sit next to the Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Facility near Airside A. The AIP grant will offset a large portion of the project’s $2.8 million budget. Design work on the project is scheduled to begin in October 2024.

The Airport also was awarded more than $3 million for grading improvements at runway and taxiway safety areas across the TPA campus. The work will address turf buildup, drainage issues, and asphalt restoration. The project is budgeted to cost almost $4.1 million and design work also is scheduled to start in October 2024.

Both projects are part of the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority’s Fiscal Year 2025 Capital Improvement Program.

Tampa Executive Airport also received an AIP grant for $2.45 million to help with a runway and ramp rehabilitation budget to cost about $14.5 million. That project is included in the Aviation Authority’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget, and also received an FAA grant for $813,000 last month that was part of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding.

To learn more about the AIP, go to the FAA’s website here: https://www.faa.gov/airports/aip/2024_aip_grants

Less than a year after completing a major expansion at Tampa International Airport, fixed-base operator Sheltair Tampa is growing yet again.

The largest privately-held FBO in the United States is building a new hangar at TPA, with approximately 50,880 square feet of space for aircraft and another 8,344 square feet of premium office space, divided into two sections of 4,172 square feet each.

The state-of-the-art narrow-body hangar will have a tail door to accommodate larger aircraft like Boeing Business Jets and similar-sized planes, and will be fronted by about 50,000 square feet of new apron. The hangar’s aircraft space will be 318 feet wide and 160 feet deep, with office space bringing the total depth to 188 feet.

“Tampa International Airport has seen sustained growth in general aviation over the past few years, and our partners at Sheltair have been working hard to keep up with the demand for private aircraft services,” Airport CEO Joe Lopano said. “Sheltair’s vision and smart planning underscores its continued commitment to creating a premier experience at its FBO complex for visitors, businesses and customers.”

The project is being built at 4300 W. Tampa Bay Blvd, north of Runway 10/28 across the airfield from Sheltair’s main complex. The new hangar and office space is scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2025.

"At Sheltair, we constantly strive to enhance our facilities and services to better serve our customers," said Todd Anderson, Sheltair’s chief operating officer. "The new hangar facilities at TPA represent our ongoing commitment to excellence and our confidence in the growth of Tampa’s aviation sector. We look forward to welcoming our tenants and guests to this exceptional new facility in 2025."

This new construction comes on the heels of Sheltair Tampa adding 77,000 square feet of hangar space and 32,000 feet of office space, which opened in September 2023. That project cost $26 million and took 18 months to build the new additions, plus more than 336,000 square feet of apron.

Sheltair now operates a 35-acre complex, including covered and uncovered parking, and has a current footprint of 300,557 square feet. Their hangars can handle a diverse range of aircraft, including large-cabin class aircraft, and feature a foam fire suppression system.

To learn more about Sheltair's Tampa facilities, click here.

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Drivers leaving Tampa International Airport may be affected by a detour that will restrict access to the Courtney Campbell Causeway and the Veterans Expressway from TPA over the next few weeks.

As part of the Florida Department of Transportation’s work on the Westshore Interchange south of TPA, construction crews will periodically close two exits – State Road 60 West/Clearwater and State Road 589 North/Veterans Expressway – from the George J. Bean Parkway from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. on certain nights.

The closure is necessary to allow workers to erect signage over the roadway.

To reach either SR 60 westbound or the Veterans Expressway northbound when leaving TPA, drivers will be detoured to the Spruce Street exit (SR 616 East/SR 60 East). The detour will follow a four-mile route from W. Spruce St. to N. Westshore Blvd. to W. Kennedy Blvd., leading to the interchange where motorists may take SR 60 westbound to Clearwater or the Veterans Expressway northbound.

The first nighttime closure is expected to begin at 11 p.m. on Sept. 9, and is scheduled to close again on Sept. 16, 26 and 30. Another round of closures is scheduled for Oct. 31 and Nov. 11-12 and 14. Occasional closures of the two exits are scheduled to continue being put in place on some nights through November.

Please allow time to navigate the detour if you are departing TPA during one of these closures.

This work is part of FDOT’s Westshore Interchange Reconstruction project. You may find more details about the project here: https://www.fdottampabay.com/project/841/447107-1-52-01

Flight operations are not impacted. Passengers being picked up at Blue Arrivals are being rerouted to the Blue Express lanes during the investigation.

Police and other authorities are investigating the details of the accident. No other information is available at this time.

Statement from TPA CEO Joe Lopano: “We are heartbroken about the passing of one of our construction workers. We share our deepest condolences with his loved ones. Tampa International Airport is conducting a comprehensive investigation into this accident.”

Travelers passing through Tampa International Airport’s Airsides A and E may not be able to see the changes to their security screening checkpoints up close just yet, but the new spaces are literally just around the corner.

The simultaneous expansion project to add almost 20,000 feet to each checkpoint is running full speed ahead, with the framework for both additions now visible at each building – especially when taking the shuttle from the Main Terminal.

Work on structural steel supports and roofing is ongoing while crews run mechanical, electrical and plumbing lines inside the buildings. Sheathing and walls will start going up in August, with an eye on making the checkpoints weather-tight by September.

When complete, the project will expand the existing checkpoints from six to seven security lanes, with vastly larger queueing and screening space. Both Airsides A and E were designed and built prior to the creation of the Transportation Security Administration, and are in need of more room to process passengers.

The project is on schedule to open both checkpoints to the public in February 2025, with work slated to be completely done by early Summer.

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The FAA-required study began more than two years ago to analyze the Airport’s development needs over the next twenty years. The MPU is now clear to be submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for final approval.

 The MPU is a roadmap for cohesive airport development based on extensive analysis of market data, passenger activity, and industry trends. TPA currently serves an estimated 25 million annual passengers, but is projected to serve 34.6 million annual passengers by 2037. 

“Tampa Bay is a thriving community that is growing by the day, and Tampa International Airport is growing right along with it,” said Smitha Radhakrishnan, the Airport’s Executive Vice President of Planning & Development and Maintenance. “Our team has done an excellent job of addressing the Airport’s needs in our Master Plan, and this update will continue our track record of successfully getting ahead of our region’s growth and delivering world-class facilities to our community and travelers for many years.”

 Among its most important findings, the 2022 MPU revalidated the need for the construction of the new Airside D, which breaks ground in late 2024 and is expected to open to the public in 2028. Other MPU recommendations include: 

• Expansion and modernization of the Ticketing Level in TPA’s Main Terminal
• Baggage Claim expansion
• Expanding the Employee Parking Lot north of the Main Terminal (approved in FY 2023 budget)
• Economy Parking Garage expansion
• Numerous runway and taxiway improvements
• Possible development sites for Advanced Air Mobility (electric-powered air taxis known as e-VTOLs) facilities on Airport property
• Designating the area north of the current Main Terminal and Airsides for potential future development 

Long-term estimates conclude that by 2042, TPA will serve nearly 39 million passengers per year. The MPU study found that to meet that future demand, the Airport will likely need up to 22 additional aircraft gates (includes 16 from the new Airside D), 83 additional ticketing counters, and three to four more Baggage Claim carousels. The MPU is only a guide and executing individual projects recommended in the study will require careful planning and Board approval.

Consulting firm Ricondo and Associates led TPA’s 2022 Master Plan Update. During the study, the Airport held several public outreach meetings to educate the community about the MPU’s progress, receive feedback and answer any questions. 

TPA will present the study recommendations to the Hillsborough County Planning Commission and the FAA this summer. The process concludes with the FAA creating TPA’s new Airport Layout Plan (ALP), which depicts the Airport’s existing facilities as well as planned development. TPA will launch its next Master Plan Update in five to seven years, as required by the FAA.

Drivers picking up arriving passengers outside TPA’s Red Side Baggage Claim will notice a temporary traffic shift beginning next week as construction on the Red Express Curbsides continues.

The exit lane from Red Side Arrivals, outside the Red Baggage Claim on the first floor of the Main Terminal, is normally to the left side of the Departures ramp and merges onto the George J. Bean Parkway.

On Monday, June 3, the exit lane will shift to the right side of the ramp (shown above), adjacent to a loop normally reserved for shuttles, buses and taxis.

The lane shift is scheduled to be in place through the middle of July.

Signs, barriers and traffic workers will direct vehicles through the detour. The impact to traffic is expected to be minimal.

The shift is necessary as construction crews work to complete the Red Express Departures bridge above the roadway, install landscaping and other tasks. The work is part of the new Red Express Curbside going up where the Airport’s old Administration building once stood.

The Red Express Curbsides will mirror the current Blue Express Curbsides that opened in 2021 on the other side of the Main Terminal.

These lanes are part of Phase 2 of the Airport’s Master Plan and are scheduled to open by Summer 2025.

Travelers departing from Airsides A and E at Tampa International Airport will notice major progress on the security checkpoint expansion projects there.

At Airside E, construction crews have begun erecting the steel framework for the addition, using a crane to lift beams and columns into place after months of underlying foundation preparation to the area adjacent to existing checkpoint space. The same steel work is beginning at Airside A this week.

The structural steel will tie into the existing Airside buildings, both of which were designed and built prior to the creation of the Transportation Security Administration after 9/11. Airside A opened in 1995 and Airside E opened in 2002.

The additions will provide room for much more spacious and naturally lit TSA checkpoint space, addressing modern screening needs and ever-growing passenger traffic at TPA.

The Airport has modified shuttle operation frequency to manage passenger volumes at the checkpoint during construction. The end result will improve the passenger experience both entering and exiting each Airside.

Airside A will gain 20,560 square feet and will accommodate seven security screening lanes at the checkpoint, and nearly four times the pre-security queueing space.

Airside E will add 19,542 square feet, also with seven lanes and vastly more space for screening equipment and queueing passengers.

The steel structures will be erected for several weeks before the floors, walls and underlying utilities for the spaces are added later.

The project has a construction cost of $65.1 million and is being funded almost entirely with bonds and $525,000 in FDOT grants. The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board of Directors approved funding at its August 2023 meeting.

Boston-based design-build firm Suffolk Construction, in partnership with consulting firm AECOM, is working on both buildings, which are scheduled to be completed in summer 2025.

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The expansion at Tampa International Airport’s Main Terminal is gaining speed as construction of the Red Express Curbsides and other projects continues to advance.

While walls for the new Red Express building will be appearing soon, visitors to TPA can now see the Express Departures lanes appearing as a four-lane bridge on the Red Side. The Express Arrivals lanes will eventually run underneath the new bridge currently being built, with the completed Red Express Curbsides functioning the same as the award-winning Blue Express Curbsides on the opposite end of the Main Terminal.

The transfer level on the third floor of the Main Terminal continues to expand outward over the Red Express area. Holes have been cut into the third floor in what used to be retail and backroom space to make way for escalator banks that will connect the Red Express arrivals and departures levels.

Meanwhile, the shuttle platform for the future Airside D is being built out behind construction walls in the corridor leading to the Airport Marriott – the work is visible from the food court near Airside E. Eventually paneling and glass will enclose the expanded area, which will also include more retail and circulation space.

The Red Express Curbsides and Main Terminal expansion has progressed after the removal of the old, 1970s-era Administration Building, which was part of TPA’s original construction. Hillsborough County Aviation Authority leaders recently took a tour to survey recent developments, getting an up-close look at the new structures that are shaping up.

On the Main Terminal’s first floor, a portion of the Red Side Bag Claim has gotten a major refresh. The new lighting and ceiling tiles for Bag Claim belts 9, 10 and 11 have been installed, the first of six phases in the Bag Claim renovation.

While workers have moved on to other sections of the Bag Claim area during overnight work, this first phase shows how much brighter the Bag Claim area lighting will be after the project is finished in December. Installation of new LED signs for the bag belts is scheduled to begin in June and the carpet is due to be replaced in August.

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Tampa International Airport is hard at work expanding and improving facilities to serve travelers better.

But while these upgrades are designed to enhance the guest experience, the work will take time and may require a little bit of extra planning for travelers in those areas.

Here are a few construction projects you may notice on your next trip to TPA.

Red Side expansion

Construction crews continue to work on the Red Express Curbsides and expansion on the Red Side of the Main Terminal.

The old, 1970s-era Administration Building is all but gone on the north side, with demolition of the elevator core happening underneath the walkway to the Airport Marriott. The Red Express Curbsides building, which will function the same as its award-winning Blue Side counterpart, has already started taking shape in its place. Travelers who don’t need to check baggage and have their boarding passes can go directly to Level 3 in the Main Terminal to reach their Airside shuttles.

That third level also is growing outward to encompass new retail space and the shuttle platform for the future Airside D. You can see the shuttle platform out the window of the food court next to Airside E.

Expect to hear some construction noise during the day as those projects progress. The Red Express Curbsides building is scheduled to open in the Summer of 2025.

Cars driving to the Main Terminal on the Red Side Arrivals level will soon notice a traffic shift. The temporary entry lanes that were used while workers began building the Red Side Departures bridge are closing.

Drivers heading to Red Arrivals will now use permanent lanes that run underneath the bridge, which is being extended alongside the future Red Express Curbsides building.

Those lanes are scheduled to open on April 3.

Bag Claim refresh

If you’re picking up luggage on Red Side Bag Claims belts 9, 10 and 11, you’ll notice new lighting and an open ceiling in that area. This is part of a renovation across all of Level 1 of the Main Terminal to update the lighting and appearance around the baggage belts.

New LED signage, fresh carpeting ceiling tiles, and brighter lighting are being installed in six phases. That work is being done overnight, so workers usually won’t be present in the area during busy daytime hours.

The phased work means that every section of the Bag Claim area will have visible work on its updates for a short period of time. The entire Bag Claim area on both the Red and Blue Sides is slated to be completed by December 2024.

A and E Security Checkpoints

Airsides A and E were both designed and built before the Transportation Security Administration was created, and are in need of more room to accommodate modern security checkpoint needs. Both Airsides are getting additions with around 20,000 square feet of space to make room for screening lanes and state-of-the-art equipment.

Crews are currently working on preparing the footprint for the expansion at both Airsides, so you will see partitions in place to separate travelers from the construction areas.

While this much-needed space is being built, travelers will see changes to the queueing processes that may lead to temporary delays in screening when the Airsides are busy. Outgoing passengers should be sure to give themselves plenty of time to negotiate the checkpoints at A and E while this work is ongoing. TPA always recommends arriving at least two hours before a domestic flight, and three hours before an international flight.

The A and E security checkpoint work is scheduled to be completed by Summer 2025.

A and C shuttle replacements

The shuttles at Airsides A and C, which were last upgraded in the 1990s and have run for more than a million miles each, are in the middle of being replaced. The concrete guideways on which the shuttles run are also being rebuilt, so that means only one shuttle is in operation at each Airside as the concrete is replaced.

Please keep in mind there may be a short wait for the shuttles if large groups of people are heading to these Airsides, especially at E as it is also undergoing checkpoint expansion.

Pairs of sleek, brand-new shuttle cars are due to start arriving in Fall 2024, with all four pairs scheduled to be up and running by Spring 2025.

Tampa International Airport’s SkyCenter One office building has already been lauded for its environmentally friendly design and construction, but now the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority’s headquarters inside the building has also gained its own special recognition for sustainability practices.

The third, fourth and fifth floors inside SkyCenter One – which contain the Authority’s executive and departmental offices, TPA’s Airport Operations Center and public meeting facilities for the HCAA Board of Directors – recently earned the Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system for its interior finishes and makeup.

Developed by the design-build team of Gensler and DPR Construction, the Authority’s offices were completed and occupied in 2022, not long after SkyCenter One’s opening the year before. LEED is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and helps ensure electricity cost savings, lower carbon emissions and healthier environments.

TPA’s nine-story building earned LEED Platinum certification in 2022 for implementing practical and measurable solutions in areas including sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

The building represents Tampa’s first new construction project to receive the Platinum level of the certification, the highest available.

“Tampa International Airport continues to display the value we place on sustainability and resilience measures throughout our planning, design and construction processes over the years, and I believe these accolades are testaments to that focus,” TPA Sustainability and Resilience Program Director Eric Caplan said. “Over the past few years, we have been fortunate enough to have been recognized by our peer airports, national and regional aviation organizations, and throughout our Tampa Bay community for these efforts, and intend to maintain our leadership role for years to come.”

It’s the latest in a spate of awards TPA has secured over the past few months for its sustainability efforts.

Projects from Phase 1 of the TPA’s 2012 Master Plan, a federally mandated blueprint to managing passenger growth, have earned TPA an Envision Verified Award from the nonprofit Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure.

The Institute recognized projects including moving the rental car facility from the Long Term Parking Garage to the consolidated Rental Car Center at the south end of the Airport’s property, plus the SkyConnect train system to connect it to the Main Terminal, saying they enhanced community mobility, emphasized mitigation against climate change impacts and advanced many other sustainability goals.

The Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council recently recognized TPA’s Master Plan Phase II projects – including the Blue Express Curbsides and a Main Terminal expansion – with a Future of the Region Award for Resiliency and recognized CEO Joe Lopano with a Regional Leader Award for his work guiding the Authority’s efforts.

Other sustainability awards include:

• The Florida Airports Council’s Vision Award for Master Plan Phase II
• Airports Going Green’s Sustainable Infrastructure Awards for both Master Plan Phase I and Phase II projects
• The Florida Recycling Partnership Foundation’s Energy Efficiency Project of the Year for TPA’s two-year-old Central Utility Plant, and its Sustainable Impact Award for Phase I projects
• The Sustany Foundation’s Sustainable Business Award in the Extra Large Business Category for TPA, and its Innovation Award for the Airport’s Master Plan projects

The Authority released a new Sustainable Management Plan to establish guidelines for future sustainability and resilience goals last year. For more information on TPA’s continued sustainability efforts, go here.

See more images of the HCAA's offices at SkyCenter One below (click to enlarge):