Catching a flight out of Asheville Regional Airport? Starting today, you’ll pass through a brand new terminal.
After nearly two years of construction, the airport’s sprawling new North Concourse is finally open.
The terminal, at 136,000-square feet, has floor-to-ceiling windows, new food and retail options, and seats with electrical outlets.
“We’re very proud,” airport spokesperson Tina Kinsey said during a media preview of the space Tuesday. “And we can’t wait for, particularly, our region’s travelers to come in and join us in the pride. … They now have an airport that is world-class, reflecting the natural beauty of our region. And we’re just so excited.”
From parking and drop-off areas, passengers will enter the airport as before. But then they’ll turn right to enter the new ticket lobby, then go through a new TSA checkpoint.
From there, it’s up the escalators, stairs or elevators to the main terminal area.
Three new concessions open their doors today and two others will be open in about a week. There are also new bathrooms, a grand piano for local musicians, and electro-chromic windows that will help keep the terminal cool on sunny days.
The concourse includes an art gallery that will feature rotating exhibits throughout the year. The current exhibition features works by local artists who were displaced when Hurricane Helene devastated the River Arts District last year.
Alexandra Ingle, the gallery’s curator, said all of the pieces are for sale and that the current exhibition will go through October.
“Each of the pieces has a special story — either the piece itself or the artist who submitted the piece,” she said. “And they were all incredibly impacted by the storm.”
The new terminal is just the latest phase in the airport’s expansion. And it’s still very much a work in progress.
For the next few weeks, after entering the new terminal, some passengers will have to pass through a door taking them back to the old concourse to catch their flights. Airport staff will be on hand to show the way.
The airport’s full expansion is expected to be completed in two-and-a-half years.
