San Diego International Airport’s Terminal 1 Receives National Design-Build Award

San Diego International Airport’s (SAN) New Terminal 1 has received the Design-Build Institute of America’s (DBIA) 2026 National Design-Build Project/Team Merit Award in the Aviation category.

Terminal 1 was selected by a jury of design-build professionals as one of 32 projects recognized across 10 categories from 80 submissions nationwide. The award recognizes excellence in design-build delivery, highlighting projects that bring owners, architects, engineers and contractors together to solve complex challenges and deliver innovative results.

“We are very proud that Terminal 1 has received this national recognition,” said Atif Saeed, President and CEO of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. “We are grateful to our design-build team for its collaboration and commitment to delivering a world-class terminal. This award recognizes the collective expertise and innovation that made this project possible.”

“Behind every award-winning project is an exceptional design-build team,” DBIA Executive Director/CEO Lisa Washington, CAE, said. “The people behind these projects demonstrate what can be achieved when expertise and ingenuity are paired with a shared commitment to excellence. Their work shows design-build at its best, bringing people together to drive innovation and deliver better outcomes that create lasting value for Owners and the communities they serve.”

Merit winners will be recognized and additional winners announced at DBIA’s Design-Build Conference & Expo Awards Ceremony November 5, 2026. For a full list of project winners, including photos and descriptions of each project, please visit  DBIA’s Project/Team Awards page.

For more information about SAN’s New Terminal 1, please visit san.org.