Portion of Glacier Park Airport’s Terminal Expansion Opens to Passengers
Officials on Tuesday announced the completion of parts of the TSA checkpoint, waiting areas, dining areas and an escalator that opens to the public on March 6
By Maggie Dresser
Glacier Park International Airport (GPIA) officials on Tuesday announced the completion of the first phase of the $150 million terminal expansion, which includes portions of the TSA checkpoint, new jet bridges and waiting areas, expanded retail and dining options, offices and an escalator. It opens to passengers on March 6.
At the March 5 ribbon cutting ceremony, GPIA Director Rob Ratkowski told an audience that the Phase 1A completion comes seven years after project planning first started.
“When it’s finished, this building will be one of the iconic centerpieces of our community,” Ratkowski said. “We have strived, we have driven, and we have labored to make sure that this building gives a sterling first impression that positively reflects on you – the community. This project truly is the highlight of my career.”
Ratkowski said the new ticketing area will be finished in May and construction will steadily continue over the next two years, with plans to complete the airport by June of 2026. Construction on the project began in 2021 following pandemic-related delays and supply chain issues.
GPIA recently secured $2.8 million in federal funding to continue terminal and gate expansion as crews continue to make progress on construction that will triple the airport’s size.
The funding will also expand ticketing and kiosk areas, passenger hold rooms and drive lanes. The dollars were made possible by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and are awarded through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Terminals Program.
The expansion continues as airlines add flights to the airport. Avelo Airlines recently announced it will add a nonstop flight from GPIA to Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport in California’s Bay Area.
With introductory one-way fares starting at $78, service from Kalispell to Sonoma County will begin May 1 and operate twice weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
The new low-cost flight adds to Avelo’s routes after the airline joined GPIA in May 2023 when it brought non-stop service to Hollywood Burbank Airport in Los Angeles twice weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
GPIA continues to see travel growth every year, with a 7% year-over-year growth from July 2022 to the same month in 2023 during peak summer travel. Additionally, shoulder season saw a 16% year-over-year increase from September 2022 to the same month in 2023.