The new KCI terminal opened on Feb. 28 after being in construction since March 2019.

The old terminal was built in 1972, and the structure from that time period has influenced ratings and opinions on the airport.

In an article by MoneyWise, KCI is listed as the third worst airport in the US, with Newark and Laguardia in second and first. 

Many of the bad reviews were more to do with the structure, setup and parking in the terminal, and not the service itself. 

Junior dance team member Avery Storm flew out of the new terminal days after opening for dance competitions in Florida.

“The other terminal was very compact,” Storm said. “Whereas the new one is more organized and spread out into sections by different airlines.”

The new 1.5 billion dollar terminal also features new shops inside, as well as the artwork.

“The biggest change is definitely bringing in small companies from Kansas to work and grow their businesses in public area,” Storm said. “There were known companies like Auntie Anne’s, but they also had small shops like cafes to go to.”

KCI also made more improvements with security, making it easier to get through the long lines many travelers are familiar with.

“It was way faster,” Storm said. “As soon as I walked in the process took around ten minutes from check-in to security.”

The new single terminal is the longest single infrastructure project in KC history, with 39 gates, 225 local partners, 6,200 parking spaces and 5,000 construction-related jobs.