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Monterey Regional Airport officials brief Carmel council on $200M terminal and landside modernization
Summary
Airport board director Dino Pek and executive director Chris Mel updated the council on air‑service gains and the airport’s "metamorphosis" master plan — a multiyear safety and terminal modernization program estimated at roughly $200 million, with a target opening in summer 2027.
Monterey Regional Airport representatives updated the Carmel‑by‑the‑Sea City Council on recent expanded air service and a multiyear terminal and landside master plan.
Board director Dino Pek introduced Executive Director Chris Mel, who said the district operates as an independent public agency and highlighted current nonstop routes and seasonal service increases. "We have currently 30 total combined arrivals and departures," Mel said, listing carriers and seasonal destinations.
Mel discussed the airport’s "metamorphosis" safety‑enhancement program — an initiative started in 2020 to move a taxiway, improve aircraft clearance and modernize the terminal. She described the overall program as a roughly $200 million infrastructure investment with $130 million in grants, about $20 million in passenger facility charge (PFC) match and roughly $50 million in loans. "The ultimate project goal is to move our main taxiway further away from the main runway," she said, adding the terminal design is intended to be accessible, net‑energy ready and to include passenger boarding bridges.
Construction was under way on landside work and the terminal contractors were on site; Mel said the design was completed in 2024 and two contractors — one for landside and one for the terminal — were under contract. The airport plans a phased opening of the new passenger experience by summer 2027.
Council members thanked Pek and Mel for the update and asked for the name and location of the terminal architect. Mel confirmed the architecture team is based in San Francisco.
Council received the briefing and asked staff to remain informed about airport ad hoc impacts on traffic and to coordinate community communications about construction timing as the project proceeds.
