Southwest Florida International Airport’s New Terminal
~ Opened September 9, 2005 ~

This section contains information about the planning, construction and opening of the new terminal at Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, Florida. Operations commenced at the new terminal on the morning of Sept. 9, 2005. It is the one of the first airports, built from the ground up, in the U.S. that incorporated all post-Sept. 11 security requirements into its design.

 Building the Future

Southwest Florida International Airport opened in May 1983, and 1.3 million passengers traveled through the airport during its first full year of operation. During the next three years, passenger traffic doubled. The airport’s original Master Plan projected that the airport would reach its capacity of 3 million passengers by 1995, but that number was surpassed in 1988 – seven years earlier than predicted. The airport hit the 4 million-passenger mark in 1994 and has served more than 5 million passengers annually since 2000. In 2005, the airport served over 7.5 million passengers.

To accommodate this dynamic growth, the Lee County Port Authority broke ground on a new terminal complex in early 2002. The project, located south of the existing runway, includes a new taxiway, associated aircraft aprons and ramps, and new roadways that allow easy access from both the Daniels Parkway and Alico Road exits from I-75.

DMJM Aviation led the project team, which worked with airport officials, airlines, rental car agencies, regulatory agencies and other stakeholders to refine the project’s design. Surveys of passengers, airport visitors and employees, as well as airline staff, helped shape the new facility.

The new, two-story terminal opened on Sept. 9, 2005, with 28 aircraft gates along three concourses. T-shaped extensions can be added to the concourses to provide additional gates – a few at a time or several – and there is space for two additional concourses. This incremental-expansion design provides long-term flexibility, cost efficiencies and the potential for a total of 65 gates.

When designing the new terminal, passenger convenience was a primary consideration. The number of seats in waiting areas was tripled, and walking distances were minimized.

A dual roadway system allows departing passengers to be dropped off on the upper-level curb, and arriving passengers to be picked up on the lower level. The upper level includes curbside check-in, ticket counters, security checkpoints and aircraft gates, as well as restaurants and shops. Baggage claim facilities are located on the lower level.

The new complex offers triple the number of parking spaces offered at the previous airport terminal. A three-story parking garage, which can be expanded to five stories, is located directly across from the terminal. The garage accommodates rental car facilities on the lower level and 2,200 hourly parking spaces on the second and third levels. Shuttles serve the 9,800-space, long-term parking lot and the 1,300-space employee parking area.

A combination of metal roofs, keystone, wood and natural colors give the terminal a distinct Southwest Florida feel. The color palette of the interior reflects the region’s environment, terrazzo floor tiles flecked with mother of pearl, sand-colored counter surfaces and deep-green, patterned carpet that evokes the flow of sea grass. One-foot-square tiles depicting seashells accent the terminal floors. High ceilings, walls of glass and clerestory windows allow natural light to flood the terminal, and native vegetation flank six entry vestibules.

The $438 million project was funded with grants from the Federal Aviation Administration and the Florida Department of Transportation; airline rents and fees; and other airport revenue, including bonds. No ad valorem (property) taxes are used for airport operation or construction.

The new terminal promises to make Southwest Florida International Airport the state’s easy airport – easy to get to, easy to use, easy to expand and easy to love.

• Consultants working on the project on any given day: 185
• Seats in waiting areas at aircraft gates: 3,500 (vs. 1,200 in existing terminal)
• Restrooms: 32 (vs. 18 in prior terminal)
• Square feet of terrazzo: 265,000
• Square feet of carpet: 103,500
• Roadway signs: 75
• Cost of landscaping: $2 million
• Number of trees: 2,400
• Number of shrubs: 3,000
• Acres of pavement: 371
• Cubic yards of excavation and embankment material: 3.5 million
• Linear feet of new drainage pipe: 92,500
• Miles of new roads: 10.5
• New light poles: 600
• Design activities associated with the project = 250+