Sunport slated for first major upgrade in three decades
$30M renovation focuses on ticketing, baggage claim areas
A long-awaited $30 million refresh is finally underway at the Albuquerque International Sunport.
The 15-month project targets the ticketing and baggage claim areas with cosmetic and user-friendly updates, and will improve conditions at the arrival and departure curbs.
It is the first significant renovation of the Sunport’s “pre-security” facilities in about 30 years, according to Sunport spokesman Daniel Jiron. And it has been years in the making. Officials first announced the project in the summer of 2015, with plans to begin last spring.
Jiron attributed the delay to a change in strategy: The Sunport originally planned to start some construction while the project was still in the design phase, but ultimately opted to wait until the design was complete.
“With a project of this scope and size, we want to make sure we get it right before we start moving on it,” Jiron said. “It’s important to get everything done ahead of time, and hopefully, we’ll have smooth sailing.”
The project should take about 15 months, according to the city. Crews will perform much of the work at night, and it should have little impact on travelers, Jiron said.
Funding comes from the Sunport’s own revenue and not the city’s general fund.
New Mexico’s largest airport, the Sunport served 4.87 million passengers in 2016.
“The Sunport is the front porch for the entire state of New Mexico,” Mayor Richard Berry said in a news release. “It has been nearly 30 years since any major upgrades to this portion of the facility, which is why this project is so vitally important as we continue to see more residents and visitors pass through the terminal as they visit our great state.”
The baggage claim area will undergo the most obvious changes, including a new waiting area for shuttle customers and new seating to replace old rental car company counters. Crews will remove the railing around the baggage carousels and renovate the meditation room, which is in the baggage area.
Improvements around the ticketing area include raised ceilings with faux skylight features and new ticket counters featuring design work from New Mexico’s Native American pueblos.
The exterior upgrades include extending the arrivals sidewalk by 4 feet so drivers can more easily see waiting passengers; brighter lighting; and a new cover to shield travelers standing at the shuttle curb.
Characteristic features like the airport’s brick floor will remain, Jiron said.
“We want to modernize it and refresh the look, but we want to make sure we keep the charm of what our facility is,” he said.