Phoenix Sky Harbor 90th Anniversary
Welcome to 90 Years
Welcome to the 90th Anniversary page of skyharbor.com! This page will be filled with pics from the years, updates on events, and links to features and employee spotlights. Check back often for new images and information.
Historical Photos Through the Decades
1920s
1930s
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
The Future
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Major Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Milestones
1928 - 278 acres of farmland were purchased by J. Parker Van Zandt; Sky Harbor Airport was made.
1929 - The first scheduled passenger service began with Scenic Airways.
1930 - Regularly scheduled airmail service began in Phoenix.
1933 - Copperclad Flight School opened with one airplane.
1935 - The City of Phoenix purchased Sky Harbor Airport for $100,000.
1940 – First control tower built.
1944 - The control tower added a 2nd story and was enclosed.
1945 - The first runway was paved.
1949 - New 107-ft tall tubular steel control tower with 129 step spiral staircase was constructed at the site of the future Terminal 2.
1952 - Terminal 1, the first modern terminal was built for $853,000
1959 - The first jet airliner, an American Airlines Boeing 707, landed introducing the jet age to Phoenix.
1960 - Official ground-breaking ceremony for Terminal 2.
1961 - Phoenix City Council selected local artist Paul Coze to create a large mural for new East Terminal.
1962 - Terminal 2 was finished at a cost of $2.7 million
1967 - Mrs. Vern Cooper was the 10 millionth airline passenger to depart from Sky Harbor since its official opening in 1928. She was presented with an orchid corsage by Mayor Milton Graham.
1970 - Federal government designated Sky Harbor an international port of entry and the airport became Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
1971 - Regular international operations began with Air West service from Phoenix to Guadalajara, Mexico.
1975 - Groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the new $65 million expansion program. The project entailed a new terminal building, parking garage, aircraft parking aprons and roadways system.
1977 - New FAA 185-ft control tower opened which composed of 84 precast concrete blocks with 30 ft-diameter cab on top that weighed 22 tons. Official groundbreaking ceremony for new Terminal 3 also took place.
1978 - First Supersonic Jet ‘Concorde’ arrived.
1979 - Terminal 3 was completed for a total cost of $35 million.
1983 - America West Airlines became the first airline to officially call Sky Harbor its home when it began service.
1984 - Terminal 2 lobby remodel completed.
1988 - The Phoenix Airport Museum opened.
1990 -Completion of Terminal 4 at a cost of $248 million.
1996 - British Airways inaugurates service between Phoenix and London.
1998 – Sixth concourse added to Terminal 4.
2000 - North runway extended, a new cargo facility opens on the south side of the airport, the third runway opens, and the Navigator Program begins.
2004 - International Walkway opens.
2005 – Seventh concourse in Terminal 4 (D Concourse) opens.
2006 - Rental Car Center opens. Terminal 4 remodel offering 40 new shops and restaurants is completed.
2007 - FAA opens new state-of-the-art ATC & TRACON.
2009 – Ground breaks on the new PHX Sky Train® and checkpoint expansions are completed in Terminal 4.
2013 – PHX Sky Train® Stage 1 opens on April 8.
2014 – PHX Sky Train® Stage 1A connecting all terminals opens on December 8.
2016 – First component of the Terminal 3 Modernization Project which includes a new consolidated security checkpoint and ticketing counters debuts in December.
2017 – The first phase of the Terminal 4 retail overhaul adding 19 new concessions of local and nationally-recognized brands is completed in April. A therapy dog program, the Navigator Buddies is launched in September.
2018 – The second phase of the Terminal 4 retail overhaul is completed adding 16 new shops. Ground is broken on Stage 2 of the PHX Sky Train® project which includes the extension to the Rental Car Center.
2019 – The new South Concourse as part of the second component of the Terminal 3 Modernization Program opens in January. Improvements to the international facilities are also completed which includes a new queuing area for secondary screening, installing automated passport control kiosks and more.
2020 – The third and final component of the Terminal 3 Modernization Project, the North Concourse, opens to the public in January and the project is completed. Terminal 2 closes in February.
2021 - The Phoenix mural by artist Paul Coze, which was previously in Terminal 2 and removed, was reinstalled at the Rental Car Center. The Compassion Cacti™ Lanyard program begins.
2022 - New eight gate concourse at Terminal 4 occupied by Southwest Airlines opens in June. Stage 2 of the PHX Sky Train® opens to the public in December. This extended the route from Terminal 3 two and a half miles to the Rental Car Center. A new station and parking area was also added at 24th Street. Additionally, Waymo, the first autonomous ride hail service begins. PHX is the first airport in the world to offer autonomous vehicle service.
2023 – Dementia-Friendly Travel Workshop launched. PHX is first in the world to offer this type of workshop.
2024 – Air France begins new service between Phoenix and Paris. This is PHX’s first service ever to France. On December 17, the airport celebrated the 50 millionth passenger through the airport that year. This marks a new passenger milestone.