pinniped

I think people are getting hung up on "huge" and "hub" type increases.

Nobody expects either of those to happen.

And frankly, we'll all just guessing about what the market will look like 4 years from now anyway.

The main point here is that the new design doesn't require a "huge" increase to be successful. It's not going to be built with a big Braniff or Eastern type bet in mind.

KansasMike

And, as long as you do that, it will insure that ICT does not grow.

LegalTender

Three new gates is a "rapid and ongoing expansion?" WN foresees 120 departures to 47 destinations out of Lambert. Both cities are attractive alternatives for businesses in high cost cities looking to expand or relocate. The new MCI is a huge plus.

Nice to know the cross-state rivalry isn't limited to Cardinals baseball and KC population growth.

aaronp84

They have six new gates, with plenty of room for more expansion down the old D concourse. WN also has CBP facilities in their terminal in STL as well (currently used by Frontier).

pinniped

I'm not sure how St. Louis is attractive to new businesses...

I'll just stop here before we go all OMNI P/R...

klemsaba

ICT is growing just fine. I would love to use the new terminal but why should I spend more money and inconvenience my family with fewer flight options?

Glad MCI is getting a new terminal.

steved5480

As costs rise, is KCI terminal project in trouble? Or moving right along?

The Kansas City Star
December 2nd, 2018

https://www.kansascity.com/news/loca...222426215.html

msglsmo

Kevin AA

An extra 7 hours of driving roundtrip is worth it?

ksucats

It wouldn't be for me. I live an hour from ICT and 3 from MCI. For the past 15 years, my family has taken probably about 40 round trips. (I have taken hundreds for work.) We have paid for about 10 trips and used miles the rest. The only 3 trips we have taken from MCI over ICT is when that was the only option available for the low level of miles. We are going to New Orleans in two weeks. I researched options from both airports (as well as MHK which I have taken a few times). MCI would have saved us a couple hundred dollars, but not worth it to me. Plus, the ICT airport is 10 times better than the current MCI.

NoStressHere

Ah, MCI airport. Used to fly through there often - before 9/11. Remember the LONG drive, some of which seemed even longer due to the rural nature of it.

Yes, it is a long ways from downtown. But, getting there is much quicker than cities like Chicago or NYC. Often, just a perception. Don't get folks going on LAX. Even when you can see the airport, it might take another 30 minutes to get to your terminal. Ha!

Too far out of town? When using Denver's new airport, folks often joke it is half-way to Kansas already. LOL!

N830MH

New KCI could be midcontinent hub for Southwest

https://www.bizjournals.com/kansasci...southwest.html

DenverBrian

Only if it's substantially cheaper than DEN, methinks.

pinniped

It already feels like a "focus city" or whatever Southwest would call it. (They bristle at the idea of calling things hubs.)

I can't think of many nonstops I'd like to have that Southwest doesn't already have. Maybe a couple more to per day to the Bay Area would be nice. A couple additional SoCal airports besides LAX and SAN would be nice. A nonstop to PVD would save me an hour on the T but I'm not holding my breath. I don't particularly care about WN's current international destinations but if they added Canada it'd be nice to be in position to get a nonstop or two.

The new terminal will likely bring more WN frequencies, regardless of what they call it.

[sarcasm]But I don't know what I'd do if Allegiant gets mad and leaves town.[/sarcasm]

jep8821

I would love to have MCI to SNA non-stop brought back and maybe MCI to LGB non-stop as well for southern Cali.. maybe non-stop to a few New York spots like BUF or ROC would be nice as well. Actually what would be cool would be for Southwest to start flying to Syracuse NY and do a non-stop to KC from there! Changing the subject, It would be cool if MCI opened a Priority Pass Lounge as well!