TAMPA, Fla. — The groundwork is being laid for Tampa International Airport’s first new terminal in almost 20 years.

Terminal D will have a state-of-the-art design and includes 16 gates, three levels and an outdoor terrace area.

Earlier this month, the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority selected Hensel Phelps Construction to lead the project. Hensel Phelps recently finished the construction of Orlando International Airport’s new Terminal C, which opened late last year.

Construction crews at Tampa International are now working to complete the new Red Express drop off and the underground foundation work for where the new Airside D shuttle station will be. 

Airside D will be located in the area that’s currently used by the UPS and Amazon planes, which will be relocated.

“So when the airport opened in 1971 there was an Airside D there,” said Jeff Siddle, VP of Planning and Development for TPA. “We took that building down when we opened Airside C in 2005 so that’s where the new building will be."

Aviation officials have been keeping a close eye on the growth in Tampa Bay. Siddle estimates anywhere from 120-150 people move into the region daily and the airport is working to accommodate that growth.

“Right now, we expect about 23 million people to come through the building, but when Airside D opens, we’ll be able to take that all the way to 35 million,” Siddle said.

The new terminal is projected to cost about $790 million and be completed in 2027.

Construction on Airside D will formally begin when the Red Express drop off location nears completion, likely in late 2024.