by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 8:45 AM ET, Thu July 16, 2026
The aviation sector in the United States presented a united front in front of Congress this week in favor of an extra $20 billion to modernize the nation’s outdated air traffic control system.
According to Reuters, the coalition, which issued a letter to Congress on Wednesday, July 15, urging for the funds, included Boeing, Airbus, Airlines for America, the U.S. Travel Association, Air Pilots Association and dozens more.
“Our nation’s aviation system is a key national asset, but it is under increasing strain,” explained the letter.
Last summer, the Federal Aviation Administration, under Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, received $12.5 billion to begin an overhaul of the air traffic control system, replacing outdated technology and increasing staffing at air traffic control towers.
There have been reports that the U.S. Department of Transportation will need more funds for the massive project, with Duffy floating numbers from $10 billion to $19 billion in the months following the initial disbursement of funds.
The new $20 billion would be to develop new software to make air travel more efficient and safer. Yet there are worries, too: the FAA recently announced a partnership with Palantir to use AI to improve runway safety, and there are rumors that the administration might use Air Space Intelligence to create an AI-powered air traffic control system.
Republican Senator Jerry Moran told advocates for more funds for the air traffic system overhaul that a funding bill proposed for later this year could help finance it.
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