Des Moines is replacing an airport terminal it has outgrown. Weitz and Turner, working as a joint venture, are building a $445 million new terminal at Des Moines International Airport, a 240,000-square-foot replacement designed to handle the passenger growth the current mid-century facility can’t.
Project Scope
HNTB is lead architect on the new terminal, which sits directly north of the existing one near Runway 32-3. The Weitz/Turner team is delivering it under a construction-manager-at-risk arrangement. The new building increases gates from 12 to 18 and rebuilds security, gate operations, baggage handling, and concessions from scratch. Phase one is targeted to open in late 2026, with demolition and renovation of the old terminal continuing into 2027.
Why It Matters
Mid-size airports across the country are hitting the limits of terminals built for a smaller flying public, and Des Moines is a clean example of the response: build new alongside, then demolish. The jump from 12 to 18 gates is the kind of capacity step that reshapes a regional airport’s economics. It’s also a steady, federally-supported aviation job in a market that doesn’t see many at this scale.
Related: airport construction races the clock.
Project Team & Details
| Owner / Client | Des Moines Airport Authority |
|---|
| Architect | HNTB |
|---|
| General Contractor | Weitz / Turner JV |
|---|
| Status | Under Construction |
|---|
| Delivery Method | CMAR |
|---|
| Funding Source | Public (Municipal) |
|---|
