Omaha airport adds gates, restrooms before holiday rush

Four new gate areas in the South Terminal at Omaha’s Eppley Airport opened to the public this week. The expansion adds capacity to the facility ahead of the upcoming holiday travel period.

The renovated spaces include larger restrooms on each side of the terminal. Each restroom section contains 28 stalls, with four of those stalls designed for ADA accessibility. The new seating areas provide charging stations at every seat and include cup holders. Adult changing stations are also installed, and digital indicators show passengers which stalls are currently occupied.

Roth stated that the project team prioritized small details to accommodate the region’s expansion. "As Omaha continues to grow and the region continues to grow, we want to be able to grow with it and provide services of aircraft and aviation throughout the world," Roth said.

Passengers using the new gates will continue to utilize the existing security checkpoints for now. The airport expects to open a centralized checkpoint and a new pedestrian bridge in February. This bridge will connect directly to the garage, placing the security checkpoint 150 steps from vehicle access.

"The checkpoint is centralized. Everybody's gonna go through the same checkpoint. We're putting a pedestrian bridge connecting to the garage, so you're literally 150 steps away from the garage to the checkpoint," Roth said.

A central pavilion with food options is also planned for next year, with many locations reserved for local restaurants. Roth said the goal is to create a facility that serves the region for the long term. "I can't wait for the first day and we can open this up to the public and they are like wow, like what we have been doing just a great facility for the future," Roth said.

The new gates represent the initial phase of Eppley Airport’s ongoing renovation. Construction remains active on other parts of the terminal as the airport prepares for increased passenger volume.