Can you walk from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 at San Diego airport, and which terminal is my airline in?
No. Since the old Terminal 1 closed on Sept. 22, 2025, there's no walkway between terminals; take the free Terminal Loop Shuttle. Southwest flies from the new Terminal 1.
- Walk between terminals
- No
- Southwest
- Terminal 1
- Shuttle
- Free
- Airside connector
- 2028
Since Sept. 22, 2025
New T1, opened Sept. 2025
Terminal Loop, curbside
With Phase 1B
The short version
- The outdoor walkway between Terminals 1 and 2 closed after Sept. 22, 2025, when the old Terminal 1 was demolished.
- The free Terminal Loop Shuttle runs between terminals; the airport listed 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. when the walkway closed.
- Southwest, Frontier, JetBlue, Breeze, Sun Country, Air Canada and WestJet use Terminal 1.
- Alaska, Hawaiian, American, Delta, United and the international carriers use Terminal 2.
- A post-security connector between the terminals arrives with Phase 1B of the new T1, scheduled for 2028.
San Diego International has two terminals that sit a few hundred yards apart on Harbor Drive. For years you could stroll between them on an outdoor sidewalk. That ended on the night of September 22, 2025, when the last flights left the old Terminal 1 and crews began demolishing it to build the second phase of the new one.
Which terminal is my airline in?
Airlines by terminal at SAN
| Terminal 1 | Terminal 2 East | Terminal 2 West | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airlines | Southwest, Frontier, JetBlue, Breeze, Sun Country, Air Canada, WestJet | Alaska, Hawaiian | American, Delta, United, British Airways, Copa, Japan Airlines, KLM |
| Security | One checkpoint | Checkpoint 5 | Checkpoint 6 |
| Lounges | None yet | Shared with T2 West after security | All four airport lounges are in Terminal 2 |
| Driving in | Stay right | Stay left | Stay left |
Terminal 1
- Airlines
- Southwest, Frontier, JetBlue, Breeze, Sun Country, Air Canada, WestJet
- Security
- One checkpoint
- Lounges
- None yet
- Driving in
- Stay right
Terminal 2 East
- Airlines
- Alaska, Hawaiian
- Security
- Checkpoint 5
- Lounges
- Shared with T2 West after security
- Driving in
- Stay left
Terminal 2 West
- Airlines
- American, Delta, United, British Airways, Copa, Japan Airlines, KLM
- Security
- Checkpoint 6
- Lounges
- All four airport lounges are in Terminal 2
- Driving in
- Stay left
Two moves from 2026 trip people up: Air Canada and WestJet moved to Terminal 1 on January 14, 2026, and in May 2026 American moved to Terminal 2 West while Hawaiian moved to Terminal 2 East. Airlines shift as gates open, so check the airport's airline list on the day.
Inside Terminal 2, East and West are joined after security, so you can walk between them freely. The terminal-change problem is only between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.
How to get between terminals
Switching from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 (or back)
- 01
Exit to the curb
Follow signs out of the terminal. If you're arriving and connecting, collect checked bags first unless they were checked through.
- 02
Take the Terminal Loop Shuttle
It's free and loops the terminals and parking plazas. When the walkway closed, the airport listed it as running 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.; some guides now report longer hours, so confirm at the stop.
- 03
Re-clear TSA
Use Checkpoint 5 for Terminal 2 East gates, Checkpoint 6 for Terminal 2 West, or the single Terminal 1 checkpoint.
- 04
Late at night, use a rideshare or taxi
If the shuttle has stopped, a short ride between terminals is the fallback; walking along the construction zone isn't an option.
19
Gates in new Terminal 1 now
Phase 1A, opened Sept. 2025
+11
Gates coming
Phase 1B, 2028
$3.8B
New T1 budget
Airport Authority
What changes in 2028
Phase 1B is being built on the old Terminal 1 site. When it opens, scheduled for 2028, it adds 11 gates, lounges and a secure connector to Terminal 2, and Delta is due to move to Terminal 1. Until then, plan for the shuttle.
Getting to the airport? See the cheapest way from the airport to downtown, airport parking costs and airport traffic and the new entrance.
Terminals
No walkway between them; use the Terminal Loop Shuttle.
See these on the full San Diego mapIs this still right?
We last checked this tip against its sources on November 8, 2026, and we re-research every tip on a schedule. Things in San Diego change, sometimes overnight.
Prices, fees, hours and rules change, often at the start of a year or season. Confirm with the official source linked below before you rely on a number.
This is general information, not legal, financial, tax, medical or safety advice.
KEEP READING
SOURCES
Everything above traces back to one of these. Follow them — if one has changed and we haven't, that's our mistake, not yours.
San Diego International Airport · Updated Jan. 16, 2026; checked Nov. 8, 2026
Airline list by terminal, checkpoints, Air Canada/WestJet move
San Diego International Airport · 2025
Walkway open only through Sept. 22, 2025; free Terminal Loop Shuttle; $3.8B budget
- PrimaryAirlines (site notice)
San Diego International Airport · Checked Nov. 8, 2026
American to T2 West and Hawaiian to T2 East as of May 12, 2026
FOX 5 San Diego · Sept. 2025
Shuttle 6 a.m.–11 p.m.; Phase 1B adds 11 gates and lounges
Times of San Diego · Feb. 21, 2025
19 gates in Phase 1A, 11 more in 2028