FISHERMAN FLATS / MONTEREY — October 29, 2026. Residents near Monterey Regional Airport have a clearer picture of what the airport’s replacement passenger terminal will look like as construction moves forward. In its August 29, 2026 construction-tour update, Monterey Regional Airport reported that installation of the new terminal’s mass-timber structure had been completed and work was beginning on interior walls, exterior siding and glazing. The operator continues to target summer 2027 for opening to passengers.
This article concerns the terminal building and passenger facilities, not the separate Garden Road–Olmsted Road roundabout construction or proposed city right-of-way action already covered by Fisherman Flats News.
What will be inside the 62,754-square-foot building?
Airport staff presented a layout with five boarding bridges and both east and west concourses. The plan also includes a shared airline check-in lobby, a security checkpoint with multiple screening lanes, and separate post-security and pre-security pet-relief areas. Baggage claim is designed to accommodate one large carousel plus a separate oversized-baggage carousel.
The proposed concessions include The Cockpit restaurant, operated by the owner of Woody’s at the Airport, and space for a retail or gift shop. A windowed observation deck overlooking the airfield is also part of the announced design. These amenities are part of the planned terminal and should not be described as already available to travelers in October 2026.
Why is the terminal being replaced?
The airport says the Federal Aviation Administration requires relocation of passenger facilities to accommodate airfield safety improvements associated with Taxiway A, which supports Runway 10R–28L. The airport also says its existing terminal is increasingly constrained by passenger demand. Its published FAQ puts the new building east of the existing terminal, with the vehicle entrance ultimately shifting to Garden Road and Olmsted Road.
What does the project cost, and who pays?
In the August 29 tour release, the airport described a $98 million terminal building within the larger MRY Metamorphosis Safety Enhancement Program. The airport cited FAA Airport Improvement Program grants, a federal low-interest loan, bank financing, airport revenues and passenger user fees as funding sources. That $98 million figure is for the terminal described in the release, not the entire multiyear airport modernization program.
The airport also reported a 425,000-square-foot commercial aircraft apron designed with room for eight aircraft, a long-term parking lot that started opening in phases in June 2026, and a future premium parking area. The two planned parking facilities together are described as providing 440 public spaces. The opening date of each separate component can differ from the terminal’s target date.
What does this mean for neighboring streets?
Work on the terminal and airport circulation can affect travelers arriving from Highway 68, Garden Road and Olmsted Road. Residents should not infer a permanent neighborhood road closure from the building-construction announcement. The airport directs questions and concerns to its project contact form and posts travel and construction updates on its official site.
Read our separate report on the entrance roundabout and Olmsted Road public hearing for that distinct subject.
Primary sources and editorial note
Monterey Regional Airport, August 29, 2026 replacement-terminal construction tour; Monterey Regional Airport’s replacement-terminal FAQ; June 12 parking-facility update.
Reported October 29, 2026. Figures and status are attributed to the airport’s dated releases; the scheduled summer 2027 opening is a target, not a guarantee. California58 has not independently inspected the construction site or certified the project as completed.
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