Pensacola International Airport celebrated a milestone moment today as community leaders, aviation partners, and local stakeholders gathered to break ground on an ambitious Terminal Expansion and Modernization Program.
The expansion comes at a critical time for the facility, which has experienced explosive growth in recent years. Airport Director Matt Coughlin shared remarkable statistics that underscore the need for expanded capacity: “We had 3.1 million passengers last year, which is pretty incredible.”
- To put that in perspective, he explained, “If you took the entire population of the City of Pensacola, you would be putting that amount of people through this small facility here every seven days.”
The airport’s success has been phenomenal. On May 19, the airport handled over 15,000 passengers in a single day—” like putting three full Wahoo stadiums of people through here in just one day.” That success has been recognized nationally, with USA Today naming Pensacola International among the top 10 small airports in the United States for the second time in three years.
Breaking Ground for Our Future
Mayor D.C. Reeves framed the groundbreaking in historic terms: “Today we’re certainly not just turning dirt. We break ground on the future of the city’s gateway. This is truly a historic moment for Pensacola International Airport.”
He acknowledged the challenges facing the facility, noting that the terminal, originally designed to handle about 1 million passengers, now accommodates over 3 million annually.
- “Anyone who has been here during the holiday rush, maybe trying to find a parking spot, knows that we have outgrown this facility,” Reeves said.
Details: The expansion project will address these capacity constraints with significant improvements. A new five-gate concourse will be constructed, nearly doubling the security checkpoints and increasing overall airport capacity by almost 50 percent. The expansion will provide the capacity needed to meet forecasted demand through 2044.
Meet the Team
Marcos Souza of EXP, the design firm leading the project, emphasized the importance of creating a facility that reflects the community it serves. His team made over 35 site visits before beginning design work, discovering “the rich history of the city of five flags” and learning about everything from the Blue Angels to the region’s ecological treasures.
- “I truly believe that a measure of our team’s success is providing something that is uniquely Pensacola,” Souza explained. “One that blends not only the city’s history and legacy but also its future outlook.”
Michelle Martucci of Archer Western, the general contractor for the project, brought her extensive aviation experience to Pensacola, including work on major projects at LaGuardia and DFW. She spoke emotionally about what makes these projects meaningful: “There is something so powerful about that moment” when the first passenger walks through a new terminal or the first aircraft pulls into a new gate.
- “It’s a feeling that never gets old, and that’s what makes today so special because what we are breaking ground on here today in Pensacola, it’s not just the building, it’s a statement.”
To follow the expansion, visit transformpns.com.