The work will replace the existing terminals with a new 20-gate concourse and expand baggage facilities. The first gates of the new concourse are expected to open in 2011. According to the Dallas Morning News, Love Field’s passenger traffic is expected to rise from 4 million to about 8 million annually. This would beat Love Field’s 1973 passenger peak of 6.6 million, before the opening of Dallas’s current primary airport, Fort Worth.
Southwest is managing the improvement project on behalf of the city and is ready to spend $75 million to kick it off. Southwest spokeswoman Beth Harbin said the carrier’s experience managing other airport improvement projects will help smooth the transition for passengers and keep the airline running on time.
