Here's what awaits passengers on this metro Phoenix airport's new $28M concourse

No more portables.

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport is getting ready to debut its $28 million, 30,000-square-foot permanent terminal concourse, replacing a temporary four-gate concourse composed of portable buildings.

The new concourse, partly made possible by federal funding, will add five gates to the airport.

“It really creates an opportunity not only for efficiency but also increased capacity so that we could welcome additional airlines here and have adequate space so that they could operate efficiently,” airport executive director J. Brian O'Neill said of the terminal in a December interview with The Arizona Republic.

The soon-to-be-completed improvements will further enhance efficiency and the customer experience at the east Mesa airport, a former Air Force base that's now a reliever for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. In recent years, the airport completed a new air traffic control tower and added new restaurants.

Bars, restaurants, parking, hotels: Ultimate guide to Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport

When will the new concourse at the Mesa airport open?

Airport staff plan to open the concourse on Feb. 20.

Also in February, Gateway Airport will debut an enclosed, climate-controlled area between ticketing and security, making it more comfortable for flyers to get from one side of the airport to the other.

What's in Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport's new terminal concourse?

The concourse includes five gates, a grab-and-go market, a nursing room and seating areas equipped with power outlets for charging laptops and phones.

"There are so many phone charging stations here that you'll never go without," airport spokesman Ryan Smith said, adding that three things travelers expect at an airport are convenience, good places to eat and places to charge their phones.

Having new gates in a permanent structure will give the airport greater capacity to handle more flights at the same time, something that wasn't possible with the portable gates, Smith said. During the COVID-19 pandemic, only one or two gates in the portable structure could safely operate at a time.

The grab-and-go market, First Jet Market, will feature items from local chef Aaron Chamberlin of the metro Phoenix restaurants Oak on Camelback and Ghost Ranch. There's no space for additional restaurants or retail in the concourse, but Smith said it might feature a pop-up bar serving drinks like pi?a coladas.

There are outdoor spaces where people can relax before their flights, plus a pet relief area. When the concourse opens, Macayo's Mexican Food near Gate 5 will open an outdoor seating area.

How are the gates numbered at the Mesa airport?

The gates in the former portable buildings were numbered 1-4, while the gates in the main concourse are 5-10.

The new five-gate concourse replacing the four-gate portables also has gates numbered 1-4. The fifth gate bears a curious name: Gate 1A.

The reason is simple: continuity with the existing gate numbering, Smith said.

"It was easier and more affordable to add a 1A to the new concourse and maintain the existing gates 5-10," he said.

Why Mesa Gateway Airport needed a new concourse

Passenger growth at Gateway Airport and residential and commercial growth in the East Valley meant airport staff needed more infrastructure to support the growth.

The airport reported record growth in the 2022-23 fiscal year that started in July 2022 and ended June 2023, with more than 1.9 million people arriving and departing. Gateway Airport welcomed about 100,000 more passengers than 2021-22, marking a 6% increase.

In December 2024, O'Neill stated in his monthly Executive Director's Report that Gateway Airport had its busiest October on record in 2023, with 165,886 passengers that month.

How much did the Mesa airport's new concourse cost?

The new concourse cost $28 million, including a $14.4 million grant from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Gateway Airport also received $7 million in state funding and $6 million from a Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Program grant.

The rest of the money came from local airport funds and contributions from regional partners, Smith said.

One fewer partner: Phoenix is ending its Mesa Gateway airport partnership. What that means for flyers

Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who’s covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @salerno_phx.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Flying from the Mesa airport is about to get much better. Here's why