Colorado Springs Airport to double number of gates in new expansion master plan
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)-- The Colorado Springs Airport has just 12 gates in its passenger terminal. Its small size is part of its allure to many travelers.
"My favorite part of the Colorado Springs Airport is that we are Colorado's small airport," aviation director Greg Phillips said. "It's easy to get in, it's easy to get out, our parking rates are low and it's just a pleasurable experience all around."
But as part of its 20-year plan, the airport is planning to double its number of passenger gates from 12 to 24, expand the ticketing and baggage claim areas, add significantly more parking, renovate the terminal, and build a new control tower.
The Federal Aviation Agency requires airports to develop a 20-Year master plan. The airport is inviting community members to participate in a virtual open house on March 30 at 6:00 p.m on Microsoft Teams.
"As the community is growing we want to make sure that we are reflecting the needs of the community for today and for the 20-year window that our master plan includes," Phillips said. "It's not so much about getting bigger as it is about serving the needs of the community and meeting those needs."
Phillips believes the additions will attract more airlines offering nonstop flights. The plans come as the airport is seeing more passengers traveling, largely because of Southwest Airlines adding 13 nonstop flights last March.
The additions are proposed to come in phases over the next 20 years.
But the funding wouldn't come from local taxpayers, Phillips says. He says the airport gets funding from the federal government's Airport Improvement Program, which is funded by fuel taxes on aviation uses. The Springs Airport doesn't take in taxes from the local economy.
Expanding the terminal is 'many' years away, according to Phillips. Even though nearly a million passengers traveled through the airport last year, he says there is still plenty of space for now.
"We still have a significant amount of capacity, but what we recognize is that 20 years is a pretty long window and we need to be thinking that far ahead."
