Opening with OMA’s 2027 concessions overhaul, Panda Express is coming
Panda Express at Eppley Airfield is not serving food yet; it’s part of the airport’s new concessions program scheduled to roll out by 2027 across the North and South terminals. So if you’re flying through OMA in 2024 or 2025, you will not find orange chicken or chow mein on the concourse, even though the brand is already listed in airport planning documents.
The airport’s 2027 plan adds several national chains to both terminals, and Panda Express is one of the headline quick-service names in that package. Expect a standard mall-style counter setup with steam-table entrees and sides, similar to what you see in typical US airports, though exact pricing at OMA is not published yet. Figure on the usual Panda range: roughly $10–$15 for a two-entrée plate, based on current Midwest airport locations.
Terminal maps for the 2027 project show new concessions woven into the secured concourses, so Panda Express should land post-security in either North or South, not pre-security by ticketing. That means it targets actual departing and connecting passengers, not just meeters and greeters in the lobby. Build at least a 15–20 minute food buffer into your gate time once it opens, since Chinese fast-casual lines can stack up at meal peaks.
Right now, your only options at OMA are the existing pre-2027 mix of bars, grab-and-go coolers, and a few national brands; there is no Panda Express-branded Chinese counter anywhere in the airport. If you really want Americanized Chinese on an OMA trip before 2027, you’re looking at an off-airport run into Omaha proper, which adds 20–30 minutes each way plus security re-clear time.
Practical move: for flights booked in 2026–2027, check omaairport.com or buildoma.com a week before travel to confirm the exact opening date and terminal location, so you know if Panda Express is actually serving in North or South by the time you fly.