NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Excitement is building at Nashville International Airport as the expanded Concourse D is set to open.

The expansion is adding five more gates.

Once the Concourse D expansion portion is opened, Concourse A will then close and undergo a major expansion to 16 gates. This expansion project is expected to last until 2028.

This is part of their New Horizon project that has a goal of bringing the airport's capacity to 40 million passengers annually. BNA will see 25 million passengers this year.

"This one is a little over two and a half years to design and construct, but we've been doing this since 2018 to now," Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority President and CEO Douglas Kreulen said. "You can see I'm talking to you about 2028; it's 10 years to try to keep up with Nashville."

According to BNA, the New Horizon project is the second major expansion for the airport. New Horizon 1 (Airside) costs $1.62 billion with the goal is expanding and improving the baggage handling system, expanding ramp space for aircraft parking, expanding Concourse D with new gates and concessions and building new Concourse A. This is expected to last from 2024 to 2028.

New Horizon II (Landside) is $1.34 billion and will last from 2024 to 2029. The goal is to expand employee parking and valet storage, bigger and better rental car complex, additional garage and conveniently located surface parking, and expand and improve terminal roadways.

When New Horizon II is completed, BNA will have 140 gates to meet ongoing demand. BNA reported 32,000 passengers a day in 2015 and expects 70,000 passengers daily this year. On a peak day, BNA will see 90,000 passengers.

On July 8, BNA will host a celebration event to officially open the new expansion.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/nashville-international-airport-finishing-concourse-d-expansion/