Veronica PiscitelliThe multi-billion-dollar master plan for Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) was approved at a City Council meeting on Jan. 23. The project includes two phases, which will attempt to improve the airport’s infrastructure and support a growing tourism industry, all while maintaining the “unique spirit and hospitality of Palm Springs,” according to Mayor Ron deHarte.
The Airport opened in 1966 and quickly became a city landmark. Its central terminal, designed by renowned architect Donald Wexler and included in the National Register of Historic Places, was originally built to accommodate around 1.5 million passengers annually. However, as the tourism industry and the region’s population grow, passenger traffic has increased to 3.2 million in 2023 and is projected to double to 6.4 million by 2042.
The airport master plan includes numerous projects to accommodate the increased air and passenger traffic. The project’s first phase includes:
- A new north concourse.
- An expanded baggage claim.
- 14 new gates.
- A federal inspection station.
- A rental car area.
This phase is estimated to cost $754 million and allow the airport to offer more international flights.
The second phase, which features the development of a south concourse, rental car storage facility and airfield improvements, brings the total cost to approximately $2.2 billion.
Specific funding for the project has not been determined; however, officials say it could come from federal grants, private financing, bond funding or airport revenue. The master plan highlights that projects at PSP are not funded through local taxes.
An environmental analysis will be conducted through the middle of 2026, with construction beginning in 2027 or 2028. Airport officials say the expanded terminals will open in the early 2030s.
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