Local and state leaders broke ground on a new Des Moines International Airport terminal today, saying it will meet the growing demand as the region continues to expand.

The new terminal is part of a $570 million project to expand the airport, including increased parking, a new entrance road and other amenities. The cost of a new terminal is estimated at $445 million.

Speakers at the event included Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie, Polk County Board of Supervisors Chairman Tom Hockensmith and Des Moines Airport Authority Board Chairman Jake Christensen.

The airport has struggled with capacity to handle increased air travel, which hit record levels in Des Moines in 2019, and officials say a new terminal and related improvements are an integral component to continuing the economic development momentum the region has seen in recent years.

Nearly 2.07 million passengers have passed through the gates at the airport through August of this year, the most recent data available on the airport’s website. That is up from about 1.8 million for the same period in 2022.

The airport had more than 2.9 million passengers in 2019 before the coronavirus pandemic caused a sharp decline in air travel. Nearly 1.3 million people traveled through the airport in 2020, but that number increased to 2.16 million in 2021 as air travel rebounded.

The airport continues to see a funding gap of about $54 million for the project, and voters will be asked to consider a $350 million bond issue to help secure funds for the project when they go to the polls Nov. 7.

The airport will use a mix of state funding, federal Airport Improvement Program funds and money from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act. The airport has also reached an agreement with 20 regional communities with commitments for $28.6 million. Prairie Meadows has also committed $5 million to the project.

Kevin Foley, the airport’s executive director, said previously that additional funding from the bipartisan infrastructure could be secured, with a three-year window to apply for additional funding.

The airport authority in July approved the first bid package for the terminal project. That package includes site work, foundation, utilities and steelwork. There will be a total of five bid packages for phase one of the project, with all bids for the first phase being in by September 2024.

Completion of the new terminal is planned for the fall of 2026. Once the move into the new terminal is complete, demolition of the existing terminal will begin. Work on the 1,100-space expansion of the airport’s parking garage is underway, with completion scheduled for spring 2025.

Related coverage:
The Elbert Files: Airport history, part 1
The Elbert Files: Airport history, part 2