Historically, the FAA has invested in runways, air traffic-control towers, and back-of-house infrastructure. The Biden-Harris administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included a new program focused on making the passenger experience better, improving accessibility for passengers with disabilities, and supporting sustainability all while creating good-paying construction jobs. Today’s announcement includes funding for new baggage systems, larger security checkpoints, increasing gate capacity, and modernizing aging infrastructure throughout terminals and ground transportation.
“Investing in America’s airport infrastructure isn’t just about upgrading runways and terminals—it’s about growing local economies, creating jobs, and ensuring the safety and efficiency of travel,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “With the grants we’re announcing today—nearly $1 billion in total—we're helping modernize 125 airports across the country in order to make their operations safer, more accessible, and more convenient for travelers.”
View a data visualization of the airports receiving funding.
“We’re working to ensure passengers’ safety, comfort, and convenience throughout their airport journey,” said FAA Associate Administrator for Airports, Shannetta R. Griffin, P.E. “Today’s investment also builds communities by providing good-paying jobs and infusing dollars in local economies.”
Today’s $970 million in funding will go towards 125 airport-related projects. Many grants contain an element that will build new or expanded terminal facilities. Among them are:
- $40 million to Tampa International Airport in Florida to connect Terminal D to the main terminal with an automated people mover and add nine passenger boarding bridges to move passengers through more efficiently.
- $15 million to Denver International Airport in Colorado to reconstruct the baggage handling system including the oversized baggage lift replacements to increase efficiency and capacity.
- $3.6 million to Des Moines International Airport in Iowa to construct four new terminal gates and a waiting area.
- $1.5 million to Purdue University Airport in Lafayette, Indiana, to replace an 80-year-old terminal and meet Americans with Disability Act (ADA) requirements.
- $1 million to Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport in Alaska for the remodel and expansion of the existing terminal building that includes a passenger waiting area.
Several projects receiving funding for expanded terminal facilities can help to improve competition by increasing opportunities for service by new or competing airline carriers. Greater competition at airports can result in lower airfare costs for consumers. Examples of these grants include:
- $33.2 million to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas to fund a portion of the new Midfield Terminal B construction project, which will add at least 20 new gates to accommodate increased airline operations and competition. This grant will fund a portion of phase 2, which includes the construction of a 518-foot underground tunnel to connect the new terminal to the existing terminal.
- $15 million to Salt Lake City International Airport in Utah to fund phase 4 of the Airport Redevelopment Program for construction of approximately 16 new gates as part of the Concourse B expansion to increase capacity and access for new entrants.
- $10 million to Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport in Montana to fund a portion of the terminal reconstruction and expansion project including the checkpoint lanes, baggage claim, and approximately three gate areas to increase energy efficiency and capacity.
Many grants will increase access from airports to other modes of transportation, including improving roadways connecting airports to communities. These include:
- $9.7 million to Nashville International Airport in Tennessee to fund improvements to the terminal access roads, including widening roads and constructing a bridge and ramps.
- $7.9 million to Buffalo Niagara International Airport in New York to update the existing airport terminal circulatory roadway.
- $4 million to Mobile Airport Authority in Alabama to build a new dedicated access road to the terminal that will also connect buses to the airport.
- $3 million to Memphis International Airport in Tennessee to build a dedicated terminal access road, which will allow for the expansion of the terminal building.
- $2.8 million to Kelly Field Airport at Port San Antonio in Texas to build a new 39,770-square-foot consolidated facilities terminal. These funds will add a dedicated terminal access road and water utility lines for the building.
Grants are awarded to airports to refurbish their airport-owned airport traffic control towers. Among those are:
- $13.5 million to General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport in Illinois to fund the tower shaft and equipment to replace the 65-year-old sponsor-owned and FAA-staffed Airport Traffic Control Tower.
- $13 million to Tulsa International Airport in Oklahoma to replace an FAA operated Airport Traffic Control Tower, improve visibility, and enhance ADA access.
- $7 million to Shreveport Regional Airport in Louisiana to move and rebuild an FAA-operated Airport Traffic Control Tower and improve visibility. The project includes construction of an access road, associated utilities, and site preparation for tower relocation.
- $1.75 million to Rome Griffiss International Airport in New York to update a 40-year-old, sponsor-owned Airport Air Traffic Control Tower, including upgrades to the HVAC, plumbing, roof, guardrails, and windows as well as communication, fire protection, electrical, and security systems.
- $1 million to Martin State Airport in Middle River, Maryland to build a new Airport Traffic Control Tower, replacing the 82-year-old sponsor-owned tower.
- $1 million to Atlanta Regional Airport - Falcon Field in Georgia to fund the design of a new sponsor-owned Airport Traffic Control Tower.
Some grants contain an element that will increase terminal sustainability. Among them are:
- $10 million to General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, for a new energy-efficient air conditioning system in Terminal B.
- $9 million to Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport in Guam to fund the terminal roof project, which includes the installation and integration of a renewable energy system, including solar photovoltaic panels and components for the safe storage and output of energy to the airport terminal.
- $3 million to Columbia Metropolitan Airport in South Carolina to fund a solar photovoltaic array installation and battery electrical storage system to provide a sustainable and resilient power source for the airport terminal.
Several grants contain an element that will go to improving airport access in smaller communities. Among them include:
- $2.5 million to Key West International Airport in Florida for a passenger boarding bridge with an elevated walkway and a secure U.S. Customs and Border Protection connection with related hold room improvements.
- $1.8 million to Thief River Falls Regional Airport in Minnesota to relocate nearly 500 square feet to optimize space, security, and traffic flow for general aviation users.
- $1.6 million to Palau International Airport to replace outdated lighting systems and rebuild an airport access road.
- $730,000 to Gallup Municipal Airport in New Mexico to improve the terminal building’s structural integrity, accessibility, and operational effectiveness.
- $400,000 to Addington Field Airport in Elizabethtown, Kentucky to renovate and expand the terminal building.
Today’s funding is from the Airport Terminal Program, one of three aviation programs created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The law provides $1 billion annually for five years for Airport Terminal Program grants. In total, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided a historic $25 billion to modernize our country’s airport infrastructure. Learn more at faa.gov/bil.
Over 100 projects from earlier Airport Terminal Program grant awards have been completed or are nearing completion. Examples of completed projects include:
- $14.4 million to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona in 2022 to replace a temporary four gate facility with a permanent five gate modernized ADA compliant terminal.
- $11.8 million to Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport in Washington in 2022 to replace the terminal to accommodate larger aircraft and an increase in passengers. The new terminal is equipped with energy efficient systems and meets ADA compliance.
- $13.3 million to Key West International Airport in Florida in 2023 to fund a portion of construction for a new airside terminal building equipped with seven passenger boarding bridges and an expanded baggage claim and passenger security screening checkpoint.
- $11 million to Missoula Montana Airport in Montana in 2022 to fund a portion of construction for new energy efficient terminal to support increased demand.
President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law makes a historic investment in our nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness by rebuilding America’s roads and bridges, upgrading and expanding public transit and rail, and modernizing the nation’s ports and airports. To date, the Administration has announced over $500 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for over 63,000 infrastructure projects across the nation and has mobilized nearly $1 trillion in private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United States.
Tags:Pete Buttigieg, US DOT
