As the San Diego airport prepared for Terminal 1’s first full day of operations on Tuesday, the new 19-gate facility on Monday night welcomed the first of 15 flights, arriving from across the country, from San Jose and Austin to Honolulu and Denver.

The nighttime arrivals mark the official opening of the first phase of the new Terminal 1, which replaces the 1960s-era existing facility that has grown cramped and outdated. Its last flight was to take off shortly after the arrival of the new terminal’s first flight.

Ashley Jancsek, on board the flight from San Jose into San Diego, didn’t realize she was going to be among the first passengers to use the new terminal. “It’s exciting. I didn’t know we were (arriving at the new terminal). We had just driven by it last week and it was still, we

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