LaGuardia Airport reaches yet another milestone. The first seven gates of the new Terminal B Western Concourse open for business on Wednesday, August 5th.
American Airlines will occupy the gates.
The remaining ten gates are scheduled to open early in 2022, completing the 218,000 square foot concourse, which has been under construction since 2016.
The additional gates will be occupied by United, Southwest and Air Canada. Terminal B is a $5.1 Billion project.
Delta opened the first part of its new terminal in October 2019, to replace aging Terminals C and D. That’s a $4 Billion project.
Modernizing LaGuardia has been challenging. Basically building a new airport around the existing one while it continues to operate hundreds of flights a day.
LaGuardia was one of the very first commercial airports in the USA when it opened in 1939.
One of its first “tenants” was American Airlines, which signed a long-term lease for three hangars.
The airport was renamed for beloved NYC Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia in 1947.
Read more about the history of LaGuardia Airport in this article on the website NYCAviation.
The opening of the Terminal B gates is less than two months after the opening of the Terminal B Arrivals and Departures Hall.
The four-story hall is nearly double the size of the terminal it replaces, bright and airy with lots of natural light. It’s also efficient, with a 16-lane TSA screening area and state-of-the-art technology check-ins on departure and baggage claim on arrival.
It’s filled with New York City themed art, by local artists.
The 18-gate Eastern Concourse opened in December 2018.
Remaining components of the LaGuardia rebuild include demolishing the old terminal and completing a central hall, which will connect Terminal B to a new LaGuardia Terminal C.
What do you think about this? We welcome your comments.