Sacramento International Airport is gearing up for a record-breaking summer travel season with significant upgrades underway, including a new bridge and parking.
SACRAMENTO, Calif — Sacramento International Airport is gearing up for busy summer travel season with major upgrades underway
With Memorial Day less than two weeks away, Sacramento International Airport is preparing for another busy summer travel season as several major improvement projects continue across the airport.
Travelers heading through SMF may have already noticed ongoing construction, including work on the new pedestrian bridge at Terminal B and the airport’s new 5,500-space parking garage.
Airport officials said both projects remain on track to be completed by the end of the year, though neither is expected to open before the summer travel rush begins.
SMF said last summer was the busiest summer travel season on record, and officials project passenger numbers could surpass that mark again this year.
Among some of the changes travelers will notice this summer are new restaurants opening in Terminals A and B, along with upgrades already in use inside the existing parking garage.
“One of our biggest improvements since the last summer is that our parking garage now has a parking guidance system that’s the red and green lights that direct you to a spot that’s open, so you don’t have to circle,” said Lindsay Myers, Sacramento International Airport spokesperson.
The parking guidance system uses red and green lights above parking spaces to help drivers quickly identify available spots.
Airport officials are also encouraging travelers planning to park in the garage this summer to arrive before 7 a.m., saying the garage typically reaches capacity on busy travel days, though other parking lots remain open.
Some travelers at the airport Monday morning said they welcomed the ongoing improvements.
“It’s awesome, it’s really amazing. I think it’ll make travel a little bit easier for everyone else. It makes it easy too. From checking in to everything, it makes it easier,” said travelers Randy Stephens and Jan Stephens.
Over the next several years, additional projects are also planned at SMF, including an expansion of Concourse B, a new Terminal A exit road and a consolidated rental car center.
While those projects are still further down the line, airport officials say the pedestrian bridge and new parking garage are both nearing completion ahead of the holiday travel season later this year.