New 24-gate facility debuts this week

Michigan’s Wayne County Airport Authority has set September 17 as the opening date for Detroit Metro’s new North Terminal. The 24-gate facility makes its debut just six years after the opening of DTW’s McNamara Terminal, the hub for Northwest Airlines and its SkyTeam partners including Continental, Delta, KLM and Air France. The new North Terminal replaces Detroit Metro’s Smith Terminal and Berry Terminal, which will be demolished to make room for future airport expansion. Airlines that will use the North Terminal include Air Canada, American, AirTran, Frontier, Lufthansa, Royal Jordanian, Southwest, Spirit, United, US Airways, USA 3000 and charter carriers. To reduce congestion for North Terminal arrivals and departures, the airport authority has also commissioned a new Ground Transportation Center adjacent to the terminal; it will handle all commercial vehicle loading and unloading, including rental car vans, parking lot shuttles, taxis and limousines. The new terminal also has a Federal Inspection Station for inbound international flights. The facility will provide more than 400 electrical outlets for business travelers, and it will have 30 retail and food concessions, including a TGI Fridays, Coffee Beanery, Hockeytown Café, National Coney Island, Borders, Brookstone, Ruby Tuesday, Champps, an Xpress Spa, a McDonald’s and convenience stores.