Palm Springs airport gets OK for a multibillion-dollar upgrade

Palm Springs International Airport is launching a $2.2 billion expansion, now that the Palm Springs City Council has approved a master plan for the project.

With its distinctive mid-century modern architecture and an airy, open design, the airport has been a city landmark since it opened in 1966. The master plan, approved Jan. 23, tries to preserve that character while adding new features and doubling the number of passengers per year.

“Our modernization efforts are about more than just improving infrastructure — it’s about creating an experience that embodies the unique spirit and hospitality of Palm Springs while supporting the continued growth of our economy and tourism industry,” Palm Springs Mayor Ron deHarte said.

The airport was built for about 1.5 million passengers per year, said airport spokesperson Jake Ingrassia. Passenger traffic jumped to 3.2 million in 2023 and 2024 and is expected to double to 6.4 million by 2042, as the region’s population and tourism industry expand, he said. 

Palm Springs’ population grew 5% between 2021 and 2024, deHarte said, and tourism generates an estimated $9 billion per year in the Coachella Valley. 

The airport master plan includes a slew of projects to accommodate the increased air traffic. The number of gates would nearly double from 18 to 32, and the airport would gain a north concourse, expand its baggage claim, build a rental car area and create a federal inspection station to accommodate the expansion of international routes.

Now the airport offers flights to and from Canadian airports that pre-process passengers traveling from the U.S., Ingrassia said. With the new station the airport could screen them itself.

“Getting a federal inspection station would allow us to be truly international by having that processing available here,” he said. 

Those upgrades would make up the first phase of construction, estimated at $754 million. The second phase would add a south concourse, a rental car storage facility and airfield improvements, bringing the total cost to about $2.2 billion. Ingrassia said the final cost will depend on the design. 

“We don’t want to see planes delayed on the tarmac, overcrowded terminals, or travelers frustrated by wait times,” deHarte said. “This project will deliver the experience our community and visitors deserve.”

Officials haven’t determined how to pay for it yet but could use private financing, federal grants or bond funding. The airport will do an environmental analysis over the next year and a half, begin construction in 2027 or 2028, and open the expanded terminals in the early 2030s, airport officials said. 

“Investing in transportation infrastructure is key to attracting new businesses, creating jobs, and supporting tourism—vital components of our local economy,” said state Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, who represents the Coachella Valley. “This plan reaffirms Palm Springs as a premier destination and strengthens our region’s role as an economic hub.”

Air traffic at regional airports has taken a dive since the pandemic, as major airlines pulled the smaller jets that often serviced those routes, in favor of larger planes destined for urban airports, NPR reported. 

But regional airports seek to attract passengers by expanding international routes. Ontario International Airport aims to compete with LAX with a new international terminal and possible flights to Europe and Japan, the San Bernardino Sun reported. 

Palm Springs International Airport is trying to up its game while preserving its history. The central terminal, designed by famed modernist architect Donald Wexler, is included in the National Register of Historical Places. 

“The hope is that the airport will remain within the same mid-century modern style and keep that unique charm that people have come to love,” Ingrassia said.