DULUTH — A $78 million new terminal opens today at the Duluth International Airport after nearly 10 years of planning and construction.

The first departure was scheduled to be a flight leaving for Chicago at 6 a.m.

The new terminal replaces a 1973 facility that no longer met post-9/11 security requirements. Minnesota Public Radio reported it has a curved roof designed to resemble Lake Superior’s waves. The waiting area holds more than three times as many passengers as the old concourse.

More than half the funding came from federal grants, with state and local dollars covering the rest.

Former Rep. Jim Oberstar, who helped secure $42 million in federal stimulus money, spoke at Friday’s dedication. He said it assures Duluth’s linkage with the $1 trillion aviation sector of the U.S. economy.