San Diego International Airport's new Terminal 1 has been named to the 2026 World's Most Beautiful Airports list by Prix Versailles, a French architecture and design award programme headquartered in Paris.
Terminal 1 was one of just seven airports worldwide selected for the list, and one of two from the United States, alongside Pittsburgh International Airport.
The remaining honourees were Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport Terminal 3 in China, Frankfurt Airport Terminal 3 in Germany, Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport Terminal 2 and Navi Mumbai International Airport Terminal 1, both in India, and Techo International Airport in Cambodia.
The terminal opened in September 2025 following a redevelopment costing $3.8 billion, replacing the airport's original terminal building dating back to the 1960s. It was designed by San Francisco-based architecture firm Gensler.
A central feature of the project is a 244-metre curved glass facade, developed in collaboration with artist and architect James Carpenter. The facade was engineered to maximise natural daylight inside the terminal while limiting heat gain and glare, producing bright interior spaces inspired by the city's waterfront setting.
The design also incorporates angled ceiling forms, mosaic glass detailing, commissioned art installations, and an outdoor terrace offering views across the city.
Atif Saeed, president and chief executive of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, said the recognition reflected the character of the region.
"The vision, creativity, and dedication of the New Terminal 1 team resulted in a terminal that reflects the spirit and character of San Diego," he said. "Our goal was to deliver an airport experience that authentically represents our region while providing exceptional service to travelers."
Terence Young, aviation leader and principal at Gensler, said the redevelopment was intended to future-proof the airport for a new generation of travellers while reinforcing local civic identity.
Beyond the terminal building itself, the wider redevelopment programme included upgrades to road access, parking facilities, and multimodal transport connections serving the airport.
Prix Versailles was established in 2015 and is announced annually at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. Jerome Gouadain, secretary general of the programme, said contemporary airports have become defining architectural symbols of their regions, balancing the demands of high-frequency travel with design that gives meaning to the time travellers spend within them.
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