From drop-offs to restrooms, videos explain how to use new Kansas City airport terminal
Traveling in and out of Kansas City International Airport will be significantly different when the new terminal opens next week.
The horseshoe-shaped terminals will be retired in favor of a bigger, brighter single terminal. A consolidated security screening area replaces multiple checkpoints. And there will be more restrooms and places to eat and shop available to travelers after they get through security.
To help people prepare for the new experience, airport officials released several videos explaining what to expect once the new 1.1 million-square-foot terminal opens on Tuesday.
The Star previously received questions from readers about parking at the new terminal and presented them to Justin Meyer, deputy director of aviation for the Kansas City Aviation Department.
His answers can be found in this story, “Got questions about parking at KCI Airport’s new terminal? The Star has answers”.
Here’s what else to expect with the new terminal:
Dropping off departing passengers
In this video, Meyer explains how to park or drop off travelers for departing flights, including where to check in, pass through security and board their flights.
Passengers being dropped off will take the upper level road to the departures curb.
“Passengers there will see signs that will identify which airlines are located where,” Meyer said. “There will be four entrance vestibules to access into the new terminal for the departures hall.”
Once inside, travelers can check in at the airline counters or use self-service kiosks. After dropping off any checked bags, passengers then head through security, which has 16 lanes, in the middle of the departures hall.
To board their flights, passengers will walk down glass boarding bridges to their plane.
Arriving passengers head to lower level
Travelers arriving in Kansas City will follow signs to ground transportation and baggage claim, which will lead them down to a lower Arrivals Level. There are seven large baggage carousels on that level.
After collecting their bags, travelers will head out for ground transportation. The first curb will be for private vehicles picking up passengers. A second curb will be for commercial vehicles.
“Anything that’s not a private vehicle pickup will be located on the commercial curb,” Meyer said. “That’s rental car buses, Economy Parking buses, off-airport shuttles and other.”
Those who use Economy Parking will continue to park in the same location that they do now. Blue buses will take passengers to and from the terminal.
Food, shops reflect Kansas City region
Once through security, travelers will be able to shop at around 50 food, beverage and retail locations, many with familiar brands, in the new terminal
“These concessions are really made to reflect the Kansas City region and everything that makes this part of the country so great,” Meyer said. “The majority of the concessions will be beyond the security checkpoint were passengers spend most of their time.”
There will be several options in the public area before security for those meeting travelers.
The terminal also has $5.6 million of newly commissioned art on display.
‘Accessible and inclusive to all travelers’
Specialty rooms were included in the new terminal to make the air travel experience more accessible and inclusive to everyone, Meyer said.
There’s a sensory room in the middle of the B Concourse for children and adults with autism, dementia, or sensory processing disorders, as well as a quiet room in the A Concourse for travelers who need to relax, pray or meditate before and after flights.
“We will have three times as many toilet fixtures as we have had in the past,” Meyer said. “Passengers will find restrooms in all different areas of the new terminal.”
The two concourses will each have three restroom cores, two of which are gender specific and one towards the center that is an all gender restroom.
Outside each restroom core is a water bottle refill station, family restrooms and a nursing room. Each restroom will have a changing room. The all gender restrooms will also have a service animal relief area as well as family restroom with a universal-size changing table.
The new terminal will also feature the Kansas City Air Travel Experience for first-time flyers and those with special needs. The feature recreates every step of the flying experience — checking in, going through security, boarding a flight and stowing a carry-on bag.
“The purpose of the Kansas City Air Travel Experience is to help travelers of all backgrounds and all abilities become more comfortable with travel by air,” Meyer said.
This story was originally published February 23, 2023 at 1:20 PM.
