Work is underway at Tampa International Airport’s (TPA) Airside D, an estimated $1.5-billion project that constitutes its first airside construction effort in nearly 20 years. 

Serving as the airport’s international arrivals and departures facility, the two-level, 16-gate Airside D will be constructed to the northwest of TPA’s main terminal—once home to the original Airside D that existed from the time the airport opened in 1971 to when it was closed and demolished in 2007, the airport says. Since then, the area has been used as overnight parking spaces for planes.

Hensel Phelps is the contractor, with HNTB as lead architect in association with Gensler. Design work on the roughly 600,000-sq-ft facility began in August 2023. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Dec. 18. TPA expects vertical construction to begin in late 2025, reaching the 75% mark in late 2027 before opening in 2028. 

Design reached the 30% stage this month, according to the airport. The full design package is scheduled for completion in Oct. 2025, according to HNTB, which adds that the airport is expected to release bid packages in late March 2025 with the goal of receiving federal funding grants for the new apron grading, paving and fueling, passenger boarding bridges and new shuttle guideway structure from the main terminal to the new Airside D. The expansion will help TPA serve as many as 35 million annual passengers by 2037, it says. The new facility will include a mezzanine, two airline lounges, and a new shuttle system and guideway. 

A $91-million enabling contract awarded by the airport’s owner, Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, at its December meeting allowed preparatory work to begin, including security fencing around the perimeter of the project site, concrete removal, establishing contractor offices and utility work. 

A new main terminal checked baggage inspection system will be constructed to replace the existing west Airsides E and F baggage screening areas, and to incorporate additional baggage capacity for the new Airside D, which is connected to the Red Express Curbside project under construction. 

Following on the heels of the airport’s Blue Express Curbside project, ENR Southeast’s 2022 Project of the Year, the Red Express Curbside project topped out in July, marking one year of work remaining for the project. That includes removing the airport’s 1970s-era administration building, adding four new arrival lanes and four new departure lanes, and a new express curbsides building. 

The Airside D project is the third of three phases that constitute the airport’s 2012 master plan. Several projects from the second phase are nearing completion, including the Main Terminal Curbside Expansion, set to be complete in summer 2025, as well as the Red Express Curbside project, and a new Central Utility Plant. The SkyCenter One office complex was completed in 2021.