Commercial flight services to Paine Field Airport’s new passenger terminal have got off to a good start. The airport, which is also known as Snohomish County Airport, officially opened its new terminal on March 4, with Alaska Airlines the first to commence operations, followed by United Airlines on March 31. The airport now operates 24 daily flights to nine destinations.
The US$40m facility in Everett, Washington, USA, was financed and built by Propeller Investments in partnership with Snohomish County. The building was designed by Fentress Architects, with interior design completed by Clive Lonstein. According to Propeller, the terminal is the first privately-owned ground-up developed terminal in the USA and it is the first new airport terminal to open to commercial flights in the USA in decades.
According to Fentress Architects, the new passenger terminal offers a modern, sophisticated design that emulates an exclusive airport lounge. The team behind the two-gate, 30,000ft2 (2,790m2) facility placed the passenger at the heart of its design approach by focusing on convenience and ease of use. The result is a terminal that provides a world-class travel experience with a goal of getting passengers from curb to gate in 10 minutes or less.
Paine Field opened in 1939 as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project. Known around the world by aviation enthusiasts, it is also the long-time home of Boeing’s Everett Factory and has long been used as a site for jet testing and delivery. Paine Field houses multiple aviation-related businesses, facilities, museums, and attractions, including the Flight Heritage and Combat Armor Museum.