Hundreds of US Airports to Share $970 Million for Modernization Projects

Travelers reclaim their luggage at the airport in Denver, Colorado, on Nov. 24, 2020. Kevin Mohatt/Reuters

More than 100 airports across the United States will receive $970 million in funding to improve and modernize terminals, the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced on Feb. 15.

The funding, awarded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), is derived from President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Investing in America agenda, under which he has signed into law the American Rescue Plan, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, among other initiatives.

Approximately 114 airports across 44 states and three territories will receive a share of the funding, officials said.

“Under this administration, we are doing more to improve the travel experience than ever before, from expanding consumer protections to modernizing the physical infrastructure,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “These investments we’re announcing today, made possible by President Biden’s historic infrastructure package, will make it easier for passengers to get to and through airports, create jobs, and increase safety for all.”

The funding will be used to help meet increased demand for air travel and improve passenger experience, accessibility, and sustainability while simultaneously creating good-paying jobs, according to the DOT.

Specifically, airports will use the money to build new baggage systems and larger security checkpoints, increase gate capacity, and modernize aging infrastructure throughout terminals and ground transportation systems, including the improvement of roadways.

The funding will also be used to bolster accessibility for individuals with disabilities and expand access to other modes of transportation.

Nine grants will be used, in part, to refurbish aging air traffic control towers, officials said.

New Terminals, Enhanced Checkpoints

The largest sum, $50 million, will go to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida to fund a project connecting terminals, enhancing security checkpoints, and providing new retail space.

Elsewhere, O’Hare International Airport in Illinois will get $40 million to fund terminal improvements, a reconfigured TSA checkpoint, a new hold room, and to widen a concourse as well as update the baggage system.

About $31 million will also be allocated to Los Angeles International Airport for utility improvements on the surrounding runways and the development of stormwater containment systems. Approximately $35 million will be directed to Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia to fund the construction of a 14-gate, 400,000-square-foot terminal building with connections to the Aerotrain and Metrorail.

A string of other airports across the country including in Alaska, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Texas will receive millions of dollars in funding, officials said.

The 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.

The latest funding announcement comes after the FAA said last year that it would spend more than $100 million to construct taxiways, rebuild runways, and install airfield lighting, among other things, as part of efforts to reduce the risk of runway incursions at airports across the country following a series of near-misses.

Last month, the DOT awarded more than $240 million in funding for airport infrastructure grants. The grants will benefit airports across 37 states to support modernization efforts, including improvements to runways and taxiways, following a record number of flights during the Christmas holiday season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.