Airside D, the first new airside terminal at Tampa International Airport in nearly 20 years, will be a 16-gate facility for global flights that is set to provide passengers with a strong connection to the Florida region’s character and natural beauty.

HNTB, architect of record for the $1.5-billion design-build project, recently reached the 60% design milestone for the 600,000-sq-ft facility. Other features of the two-level complex include an automated people mover guideway system, eight-lane security checkpoint, federal inspection services areas, two lounges with views of the airfield and Tampa Bay and a variety of shopping and dining options with 360° views.

Airside D makes the most of the area’s abundant sunshine, from the spacious central concessions core to post-arrival areas for international flights, the project team said. Sweeping rooflines and other elements are inspired by Tampa’s famed natural springs, while dynamic video screens will display moving images throughout the facility. Glass boarding bridges will provide more scenic views.

Developed with associate architect Gensler, the facility’s design is scheduled to finalize by the end of this year. Lead contractor Hensel Phelps has already begun site preparation, removing more than 467,000 sq ft of concrete apron that will be recycled on the project.

Airside D will be largest of the Tampa airport’s airside terminals when it opens in late 2028, with Delta Airlines as anchor. The building and people mover are part of a strategic, phased approach that will ultimately enable it to accommodate a projected 38 million annual passengers by 2042.