Several years ago, former United States President Donald
Trump compared the airports in the New York City area to third-world countries.
While Trump took some criticism, he wasn’t that far off, as
many American airports were decrepit and badly needed renovation or
improvements.
Thanks to a bipartisan infrastructure bill two years ago,
many airports across the country used the influx of cash, or are using it, to
renovate their respective facilities. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs
Act earmarked $5 billion for airport terminal improvement projects as part of
an overall budget of $20 billion for airports in 2022.
In New York, LaGuardia
opened a new terminal in June of 2022 worth $4 billion, which is part of a much
larger renovation project worth around $8 billion. At John F. Kennedy International
Airport, JetBlue celebrated the groundbreaking of a $4.2 billion project to
develop a new international Terminal 6.
Delta Air Lines opened nine new gates at Los
Angeles International Airport in October, just one element of an ambitious
$2.3 billion expansion at the second-largest facility in the U.S. and one of
the world's largest airports.
At Kansas
City International Airport, a whole new terminal was built at almost $1.3
billion. Sarasota Bradenton International Airport in Florida recently broke
ground on a $73 million project on a new five-gate terminal. Along with the
usual airport services, the new terminal will provide family restrooms, nursing
rooms and pet relief areas.
“SRQ has seen an unprecedented increase in passenger traffic
and demand, growing from six airlines and 12 nonstop destinations to 11
airlines serving 55 nonstop destinations, over the last 5 years,” CEO Rick
Piccolo said. “This new facility will ease crowding and allow for future
expansion of airlines and destinations.”
Airports across the country are also innovating for the
future of travel.
San Francisco International Airport is using the funding to
set a goal to be the first airport in the world to achieve “triple-zero,” zero
carbon, zero waste and zero net energy. This goal has a lot of “firsts” behind
it, such as the first LEED Gold airport terminal in the U.S., the first
certified zero-net energy airport building in the world, the first airport in
the world to prohibit the sale of beverages in plastic packaging, and the
leading airport in the world for the use of sustainable
aviation fuel, which emits less greenhouse gas emissions than traditional
jet fuel.
San Antonio International Airport is also getting a new
terminal. In March, the city unveiled design renderings and a 3D model of the
new terminal. The space offers a reimagined passenger experience, which
couldn’t arrive at a better time. When it’s finished in 2028, the airport will
welcome a growing influx of visitors to San Antonio.
The revamp will include a 17-gate expansion, six of which
will accommodate domestic and wide-body international flights. It will have
more than 850,000 square feet of new terminal space, making it larger than
Terminals A and B combined.
Other facilities making improvements include Seattle-Tacoma
International Airport investing nearly $1 billion in a new terminal to
handle more long-haul flights, and Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International
Airport’s plan for $11.5 billion in projects through 2042.
That’s where part of the federal money is going. No more
third-world airports.
Perhaps inspired by the success of these facilities, the government
will also boost the budget for the Federal Aviation Administration. But that’s
another story.
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