Sacramento International Airport announces $1.3 billion in construction projects
SACRAMENTO - The largest construction project ever at Sacramento International Airport (SMF) is taking flight. It's called SMForward and it's designed to improve passenger experiences and eliminate so-called pinch points.
The $1.3 billion expansion project consists of a half dozen improvements including a $140 million pedestrian walkway to connect Terminal B to Concourse B, and add to the train system. It will also include expansions to both Terminal A and Concourse B adding gates and new amenities. There will be a new Terminal B parking garage and a consolidated ground transportation center for taxis and rideshare.
"The $1.3 billion is entirely funded by airport user fees, so when you rent the car, buy the burger -- as well as great opportunities that our federal partners have provided through the pandemic -- there is zero tax dollars going into SMForward to pay for this project," said Sacramento International Airport spokesperson Steven Clark. "Construction plans also include a $400 million consolidated car rental facility behind the b parking garage. It means passengers will no longer have to take a shuttle-they can walk there," he added.
Construction will take place in phases between 2024 and 2027. You can follow along on smf4.com for travel impacts, behind-the-scenes visuals, and business opportunities.
This project comes as air travel demand in the Sacramento region continues to exceed other airports in the region after unprecedented impacts from the pandemic. In 2022, SMF saw a near-return to pre-pandemic levels with six consecutive years of year-over-year record-breaking passenger growth through 2019.
Estimates show steady passenger growth averaging 4.3 percent annually through 2041.