The Hillsborough County Airport Authority (HCAA) is executing a $2.5bn master plan at Tampa International Airport (TPA) in three phases, Decongestion, Enabling, and Growth, to prepare the airport for the growing passenger traffic and future aviation demand.
The first phase of the massive expansion project started in November 2014, following the execution plan outlined in the 2012 Master Plan Update.
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Phase 1 was completed in 2018. Phase 2 construction was initiated in 2019 and is scheduled to be completed in 2025 while Phase 3 is scheduled to begin construction in 2024 and be completed in 2028.
The HCAA adopted and approved the 2022 Master Plan Update of TPA in June 2024, which highlighted the need for this expansion over the next two decades.
The completed expansion programme will double the capacity of the airport, allowing it to serve 34 million passengers annually, up from the current 17 million.
Tampa Airport Phase 3 expansion details
The Growth phase or Phase 3 includes the construction of a new 16-gate Airside D terminal, which will accommodate both domestic and international aircraft.
It will increase the total number of gates at TPA to 72. Airside D will be the fifth airside terminal at TPA.
The terminal building will be constructed in a 563,000ft2 area with vast concessions space, an outdoor terrace, the latest customs and security facilities, new screening, gate check-in and baggage processing technologies.
Tampa Airport Phase 2 expansion details
The Enabling phase or Phase 2 of the project includes the development of 16 new express kerbsides, increasing the count to 32 lanes, a 35-acre commercial area named SkyCenter, a new central utility plant (CUP) to support the main terminal, a taxiway bridge and other associated projects.
SkyCenter One, the first nine-story 260,000ft2 office building at SkyCenter accommodates three floors of Aviation Authority administrative offices.
It was built to relocate current personnel to the airport’s entrance, with convenient access to the SkyConnect, a 1.5-mile automated people mover (APM) developed in Phase 1.
The SkyCenter project optimised and extended the lifespan of the main terminal by developing remote and underutilised land and enhancing connectivity through the SkyConnect train system.
The main terminal kerbside will be expanded, covering an area of 150,000ft2, for both arrivals and departures to expedite check-ins.
It will introduce express lanes for passengers without kerbside needs, bypassing the ticket lobby and providing direct gate access, thereby reducing congestion and enhancing service.
The kerbsides are being developed with vertical circulation buildings (VCBs) on the Blue and Red sides.
These three-floor, air-conditioned atriums offer direct access from the express kerbsides to the main terminal’s transfer level via elevators, escalators, and enclosed walkways, connecting to adjacent facilities such as the long-term parking garage and Marriott Hotel.
The Red Side VCB will also feature a Shuttle Platform for future Airside D access.
The existing 696-space Red Side Garage will be demolished to make space for new construction around the main terminal.
A new taxiway A will be constructed north of the main terminal and the existing parkway will be expanded to serve as the main airport entrance.
Blue Side VCB phase of the programme details
The Blue Side VCB phase of the programme opened ahead of schedule in November 2021, featuring modern amenities and art installations, enhancing the passenger experience.
Additionally, the Blue Side VCB also included replacing the previous CUP with a new, three-story, 11,400ft2, highly efficient 4,800 tonnes capacity CUP that reduces energy costs by 30%, equivalent to removing 620 cars from the roads annually.
The new CUP provides essential services such as heating, cooling, and fire protection for various airport facilities.
The completed Red express kerbsides will serve in the same way as the Blue express kerbside on the opposite end of the main terminal.
SkyCenter development details
The SkyCenter site development plan supports new office buildings, hotels, retail, a remote kerbside and an enlarged smartphone area with improved facilities.
A 50,000ft2 atrium links the SkyCenter One office building with a future ‘flagship’ hotel and features various workstations and seating options for travellers on the move.
The atrium also offers vertical circulation, linking a new remote kerbside, an enclosed 220ft pedestrian bridge (Aerotropolis), and a rooftop with more than 17,000ft2 of landscaped terrace.
The remote kerbside at SkyCenter offers additional passenger access to TPA, reducing congestion at the main terminal and providing a backup option during peak times.
Tampa Airport Phase 1 expansion details
The Decongestion or first phase, driven by the 2012 Master Plan Update, addressed terminal congestion by relocating rental car facilities and kerbside areas near the main terminal to the airport’s entrance, creating space for 2,400 parking slots and removing 2.7 million cars annually from the terminal area.
This phase included a five-level, 2.5 million square metre rental car centre (RCC) with 4,400 spaces, a multilevel quick turnaround area, and an 85ft-high APM system connecting the main terminal to the RCC and an 11,000-space economy parking garage.
Additional improvements included expanding the terminal’s transfer level, adding 70 new shops and restaurants, and building Aerotropolis.
Aerotropolis, spanning four lanes of traffic, connects the atrium to the RCC.
This bridge provides SkyCenter tenants and travellers with immediate access to the SkyConnect train for a quick ride to the airport’s main terminal, as well as access to the public bus kerbside at the RCC.
Tampa airport main terminal expansion details
The Tampa International Airport expansion added more than 50,000ft² to the third-floor transfer level of the terminal building towards the east and west plaza decks.
It created approximately 15,000ft² of indoor public seating and large outdoor terraces.
The existing shuttle enclosures and restaurants were pushed towards the perimeters creating central space for new retail stores and lounge seating.
Other developments include the relocation of the shuttle car lobbies for Airsides A, C, E and F, the remotion of the previous Airside D shuttle lobby and additional restaurants and retail space in the airside and post-security areas.
The project also involved the renovation of 20,000ft² space in the main terminal and all four airside buildings.
The ticket and baggage claim area, way-finding signage, airport concession area, seating area and airside operations were improved under the project.
On the first floor of the main terminal, a segment of the Red Side Bag Claim was renovated with new lighting and ceiling tiles.
Design features of main terminal and airsides redevelopment
The design for the main passenger terminal’s renovation and expansion, revealed in December 2014, aimed to create an open, spacious, and airy environment with east and west-facing curtain walls and metal panels for enhanced aesthetics.
The terminal features glass entries at shuttle stations, private workspaces, green plant zones, family areas, art installations, and natural light-filled event spaces.
Each airside reflects unique aspects of the Tampa Bay area.
The new RCC, integrated with the APM, reduces walking times and improves convenience, allowing passengers to check baggage and obtain boarding passes at the RCC’s APM station.
The people mover also stops at the economy parking garage, eliminating the need to board a bus to the main terminal.
Sustainable design
The expansion incorporated sustainable initiatives by using sustainable materials such as rectified porcelain floor tiles and a nonslip surface, which is resistant to airborne sand.
Perforated aluminium ceilings enable higher light reflection whereas bonded quartz walls offer ease of cleaning and are more sustainable.
Contractors involved
The TPA’s 2022 Master Plan Update is led by Ricondo and Associates.
The Phase 1 main terminal expansion was designed by Swedish architect Skanska in collaboration with the architectural company HOK, who also handled architecture, interior design, and sustainability and will oversee an airport-wide art programme.
Cone & Graham, a general contractor, and AECOM, an engineering company, delivered a taxiway bridge while Kimmins Contracting, a utility contractor, and Atkins, a construction company, managed roadway work.
Gresham Smith, an architecture and engineering company, supported all three development phases, improving public facilities and amenities. Jacobs, an engineering services provider, provided project management services for Phases 1 and 2.
Hensel Phelps, a construction company, supported design-build services for the expansion, and Austin Commercial, a design-build and construction company, with key partners, including the Beck Group, Mims Construction, PSA, and ARIEL Business Group, designed the RCC and APM project. Baker Concrete constructed the rental car facility.
