San Diego International Airport to begin terminal 2 expansion

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) — An expansion of a customs inspection station at San Diego International Airport terminal 2, in order to accommodate the increase in passengers on international flights, is expected to break ground Wednesday.

The 130,000-square-foot facility will include a baggage claim, new technology from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and more room for waiting lines in order to create a more user-friendly customs center. The terminal will be able to accommodate wide- and narrow-body jets from overseas once completed.

Preliminary work began a couple of weeks ago as crews conducted site preparation, like walling off the construction area. The project was initially scheduled to begin in about another decade.

The driveway that extends west from Terminal 2 is temporarily closed to accommodate the project. The regular exit to downtown and Point Loma, accessible via a left turn away from the terminal, is still available. 

Since 1990, the number of passengers arriving at Lindbergh Field annually has grown from 50,000 passengers to more than 300,000 last year. 

Earlier this month, Germany’s Condor Airlines began a nonstop run to Frankfurt, and next month Edelweiss Air will fly from San Diego to Zurich. More overseas flights are expected to be added in the future, according to airport officials.

Besides routes to Mexico and Canada, San Diego’s airport also offers a British Airways flight to London and a Japan Airlines run to Tokyo. 

the $230 million project is expected to be completed in 2019.