Aecom to lead $1.5bn renovation of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport’s S Concourse

Digital render of how the modernised S Concourse will look (Image: Port of Seattle)

Aecom will lead the renovation of the S Concourse at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in the US.

The consulting firm will oversee design and engineering on the project, estimated to cost a total of $1.5 billion, for the Port of Seattle.

The existing building, formerly called the South Satellite, has three storeys above ground and several levels below to create a seven-level structure.

Aecom said the work would involve restructuring and repurposing the existing facility, built in 1973 and with minimal updates since the 1980s, to increase operational efficiency, meet code requirements and enhance passenger experience.

It will work with design partner HOK on the modernisation.

Planned upgrades include redevelopment of the recently vacated Federal Inspection Services (FIS) and Customers and Border Protection (CBP) spaces into duty free shopping, dining, and retail, a reconfiguration of the concourse level for more efficient circulation, an expansion of the Penthouse level to provide additional premium lounge space and upgraded structural systems through the addition of new gate pods.

The work comes as the airport forecasts a return to pre-pandemic travel volumes in 2024, having seen a decade of growth through to 2019. It handled a total of nearly 46 million passengers in 2022.

Richard Whitehead, chief executive of AECOM’s global Buildings + Places business, said, “We are thrilled to be key players in the S Concourse Evolution and support the Port’s vision to revitalize the 50-year-old facility into a modern gateway for international and domestic travellers.

“This project blends our multidisciplinary work on major international airports, global technical expertise, and familiarity with SEA’s existing infrastructure to meet the rapidly evolving priorities for the Port of Seattle.”