KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A year from now and thousands of holiday travelers will be moving through Kansas City’s new airport terminal to celebrate with friends and family.

Crews want to make sure the systems under construction can handle the demand for the busiest travel times.

During the month of November, Build KCI crews tested the baggage claim system by putting a high number of suitcases and other luggage through the new baggage handling system.

The full test takes about 90 minutes to run and uses nearly 800 bags, according to Build KCI.

Crews also tested how quickly the system can move luggage. Right now, they say the system can handle moving more than 2,900 bags an hour. That’s slightly better than the system’s maximum output, according to crews.

Build KCI says it’s happy with the test results because the system held up and either met or exceeded TSA criteria.

Crews expect to run hundreds of additional system tests before builders consider the system complete.

In addition, they are making progress on retail areas, concessions, and other amenities the new terminal will offer. There are also seats and charging stations installed at and near some of the gates.

The project’s price tag is expected to be $1.5 billion with the new terminal opening in March 2023.