Asheville Regional Airport is moving into the next phase of its expansion project, with work expected to begin next week on a new South Terminal.
At a meeting of the Greater Asheville Regional Airport Authority on Friday, leaders outlined the next steps in the airport’s $400 million expansion.
Beginning next week, parts of the old airport terminal will be demolished in preparation for the construction of the new South Concourse.
“Passengers will begin traversing from baggage claim to ticketing; they’ll be redirected out of the entrances and into a new temporary structure to connect the two,” Lexie Farmer, the airport’s chief operations officer, told the airport authority board. “And with the exception of the rental car counters and the existing baggage claim, the remaining sections of the legacy terminal will start demolition next week.”
During this phase of the project, Terminal Drive will be reduced to two lanes of traffic, Farmer added. Staff will be stationed outside seven days a week during peak arrival times to help direct traffic.
October is typically one of the airport’s busiest months, with travelers from across the country visiting Western North Carolina to take in the autumn colors.
Over the summer, the airport opened a new ticket lobby and a 136,000-square-foot North Concourse featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, new restaurants and an art gallery featuring rotating exhibits throughout the year.
Farmer said the foundation for the South Concourse and the frame of the new air traffic control tower will be completed next month. In March, the new South Baggage Claim will open, followed by the new rental car building in May.
The full South Concourse is expected to open by the end of 2027. Back-of-house construction and clean-up work will continue into the first quarter of 2028.
