November 2025
90 Years at PHX: 2020s
As part of our year-long 90th anniversary celebration, we’re looking back at the previous decades in our history.
As the 2010s were coming to an end, it seemed as though the airport would continue to excel. The Terminal 3 Modernization Program was nearing completion. Construction was underway on the eighth concourse of Terminal 4 and the extension of the PHX Sky Train® to the Rental Car Center.
2019 was a record-breaking year with nearly 46.3 million passengers. In January 2020, the airport celebrated the opening of the north concourse of Terminal 3. This was the final component of the Terminal Modernization Program that included a renovated north concourse with new shops, restaurants, and customer amenities.
With the completion of the modernization, it was time to close Terminal 2. On Feb. 4, 2020, an open house was held for the community to say goodbye to Terminal 2. The last flight – Alaska Airlines flight 654 – arrived in the terminal and it closed its doors.
Then, March 2020 arrived, and travel came to a halt as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 2020 would end with only 21.9 million passengers coming through Phoenix Sky Harbor. There were some positive outcomes, however, as Southwest Airlines continued with the launch of its first international service from Phoenix to Mexico. This included flights to Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta. The airport also achieved a Level 3 Certification in the Airport Carbon Accreditation Program for its efforts at being a good environmental steward.
With the closure of Terminal 2, the famous “Phoenix” mural by Paul Coze was carefully relocated to the Rental Car Center. In November 2021, a celebration unveiling the mural’s new home took place.
In June 2022, America’s Friendliest Airport® opened the eighth concourse in Terminal 4. This new concourse featured eight gates and was occupied by Southwest Airlines. It would eventually be home to a number of unique shops and restaurants including Bobby Flay’s Burgers (Bobby Flay himself even came out for the restaurant opening).
Also in 2022, stage 2 of the PHX Sky Train® was completed with the extension of the train to the Rental Car Center. The 24th Street Station and 24th Street Economy Parking area also opened. This was big win for travelers as now they could more easily travel between the terminals and Rental Car Center via a driverless train rather than shuttle buses.
Throughout the early 2020s, America’s Friendliest Airport® has been committed to becoming more accessible to travelers and providing additional amenities. In 2021, the airport launched the Compassion Cacti™ lanyard program. This program provides those travelers who self-identify as needing extra assistance to request a special lanyard that signifies to airport employees that they have a hidden disability and need extra assistance. In 2022, the airport started offering Aira, an app aimed at assisting travelers with vision impairment, and in 2023, Phoenix Sky Harbor became the first airport in the world to offer a dementia-friendly travel workshop to caregivers who travel with those who have dementia. The initiative received several awards including Airports Council International-North America’s award for a Customer Experience Program at a large airport.
Innovation has also been a key theme of the 2020s with Phoenix Sky Harbor becoming the first airport in the world to offer autonomous vehicle service to travelers via Waymo. This launched in December 2022 at the 44th Street PHX Sky Train® Station and later expanded to the 24th Street PHX Sky Train® Station and terminal curbs. The airport also worked with TSA, the Arizona Department of Transportation and Apple to offer Arizona residents the opportunity to use a mobile ID via the Apple Wallet at the security checkpoints. PHX was also the first airport in the country to offer this. PHX was also the first airport in the country to have a Green Curb, making it easier for passengers to utilize EV rideshare pick-up at the airport.
The airport also celebrated numerous air service milestones with PHX currently offering more nonstop service to more destinations than ever before. Highlights include the launch of Air France’s nonstop service between Phoenix and Paris in May 2024. Initially slated to be a seasonal three-day-a-week service, the service is now offered five times a week year-round. Other highlights in the 2020s include welcoming new airlines like Breeze and Porter as well as welcoming back Aeromexico. American launched Monterrey and Tijuana service and Frontier launched its first international service to Cabo San Lucas
In 2023, the airport was recognized by the Wall Street Journal as the best large airport in the country, and in 2024, PHX had a record-breaking year with more than 52.3 million passengers coming through the airport’s doors. In fact, a special celebration was held to recognize the 50 millionth passenger through PHX. The Reynolds family was very surprised to have received the honors.
With an economic impact of more than $44.3 billion, Phoenix Sky Harbor is the state’s largest economic engine. Quite a significant growth from 1935. Aviation Director Chad Makovsky reflects that the purchase in 1935 was the most significant event in the airport’s history.
“The City of Phoenix made the courageous decision to pay $100,000 for a 7-year-old airport in the middle of farmland,” he said. “As I think about the multi-billion-dollar asset the airport has become today, and how profoundly the work we do benefits our thriving international city, I always think back to the leaders who had the incredible vision to invest in an airport that seemed so far away from downtown Phoenix at the time.”
As the airport looks to the future, it has an ambitious capital improvement program underway.
“I am so excited about the future of Sky Harbor,” said Makovsky. “We are a proven leader when it comes to innovation and sustainability, and climate resiliency. As Phoenix continues to be recognized as one of the top cities in the country as well as a growing international city, Sky Harbor will emerge as a top-tier international gateway airport.”
Developments include Taxiway U, a new north concourse at Terminal 3 and eventually a new terminal. But even with the development and growth, the one thing that has been consistent over the years is maintaining that focus on service.
“It’s amazing to look at all the decades and see the changes to the airport and the city,” said employee Allen G. “It has changed so much but what has remained consistent is delivering great service – even back at the beginning – even in the go-go 80s, customer service has always remained consistent - even for 90 years.”
For more information on our 90th anniversary, visit https://www.skyharbor.com/90years