Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport unveils future plans

PULLMAN — Tony Bean said Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport at Schweitzer Field’s new terminal is just the beginning to improving the Palouse’s flying experience.

The airport’s executive director unveiled plans that include expanding Pullman Airport Road, providing eastbound flight service and more in the near future.

Bean gave the update during Pullman Chamber of Commerce’s March General Membership Presentation Tuesday at the Courtyard by Marriott in Pullman.

It will be a year in May since the local airport moved into its new facility just down the road from the old building. Construction of the $90 million terminal began in 2022, but Bean said a much larger project had to be completed first.

A $158 million expanded runway was built in 2019 to let larger jets on the tarmac. This allowed Alaska Airlines Embraer 175 jets to replace its Q400 turboprops that began landing in 2022.

Bean said the best part about these projects is that they are completely paid off. The air center owes no debt thanks to the developments being primarily funded by federal dollars.

The completed terminal offers several amenities the former facility lacked. Bean said the new 47,000-square-foot building is five times larger than the old one which was around 8,000 square feet.

The new space contains three gates to board flights, equipped with heated and air conditioned bridges. It also has a private boarding area for charter flights.

The terminal has more parking with 450 parking spaces and 90 rental car spaces, along with a free two-hour parking limit.

Additional features include an indoor baggage claim carousel, two-lane TSA screening, two outside courtyard areas, a service animal relief area, more restrooms, a conference room, and a restaurant and adult beverage space.

Bean reported that airport concessions are slated to open in about a month. He said the air center is in the process of finalizing menus before the soft opening.

The local air center offers five to six Seattle flights a day and a Boise flight once a day. Bean would like to expand air service east to Denver, Colo., and has a grant to help.

He said the Department of Transportation awarded the airport a small community air service development grant of $780,000 in 2019 to be used by 2026. The carrier incentive funds matched with local dollars would aid the recruit of an eastbound carrier.

He added the airport has already had conversations with SkyWest Airlines, and plans to meet with Alaska Airlines this month to discuss the Denver flights.

Bean said the air center is looking to upgrade Pullman Airport Road to make it multimodal. It began conversations with the City of Pullman and Whitman County to expand the street’s capacity, making it two lanes in both directions complete with a turning lane, bike and walking path.

The airport is in the middle of developing a 20-year plan to identify next steps for improving the Palouse’s transportation needs. Bean encourages the public to attend its open house April 26 at the terminal located at 3625 NE Airport Drive in Pullman.

Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com.