Christina Estes/KJZZ

"The Aviators" by Donald Lipski welcomes visitors to Terminal 3 and celebrates Arizona's history of civil and military aviation.

The first travelers will arrive Monday night at the new Terminal 3 South Concourse at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The new concourse is part of a construction project expected to cost $590 million.

Mayor Thelda Williams showed reporters the new concourse a few hours before the first flight was scheduled to arrive.

“This was all gutted,” she said, “It’s all new: new wiring, new air, new artwork, the floors are fabulous.”

The new south concourse has 15 gates, eight food and drink outlets, six shops, a children’s play area, an indoor pet relief area and power outlets at every seat.

“It has 30,000 employees that work here,” Williams said. “It is the biggest economic driver in the state.”

“That means there’s about 55 or 56,000 jobs directly associated with this airport,” said Aviation Director James Bennett. “And there’s well over $30 billion of economic activity that comes out of this airport for the state of Arizona every year.”

"My husband was so excited to know that he was going to be a part of not just the aviation history of Arizona, but such an important part of it, as well."
— Cindy McCain

Last year the City Council voted to name Terminal 3  after former Sen. John McCain. His wife, Cindy, attended the media event.

“My husband was so excited to know that he was going to be a part of not just the aviation history of Arizona, but such an important part of it, as well,” she said.

McCain’s name is displayed on the east and west exteriors of the building and a bronze plaque will be installed inside.

“John McCain meant an awful lot to me on a personal basis so this is an emotional day for me,” said Vice Mayor Jim Waring. “I think we all, as citizens, owe him for his service a debt of incredible gratitude and this is one small way as a City Council person and as a citizen we can try to repay that debt.”

The third and final phase of Terminal 3 construction will include enhancements to the North Concourse and should be completed in 2020. Then, the airlines operating at Terminal 2 will move to Terminal 3 and Terminal 2 will be demolished.