INVESTING IN AMERICA: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Major Airport Investments Amid Record-Breaking Air Travel Season

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is announcing a seventh round of Airport Infrastructure Grants (AIG) totaling $289 million to 129 airports across 40 states, improving the safety and efficiency of air travel. The projects are funded under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s AIG program, part of the $25 billion in total funding for airport improvements such as terminal expansions, baggage system upgrades, runway safety enhancements, and air traffic infrastructure improvements. 

“Americans are flying in record numbers, and the Biden-Harris Administration continues to invest in our airports to make travel safer and more convenient for the people who pass through these airports each day,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “This latest round of funding will support key improvements to terminals, runways, and baggage systems and build on the work this Administration is doing to modernize our aviation infrastructure.” 

In June, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened a record-breaking 2.99 million passengers in a single day at airports. TSA expects to screen more than 32 million individuals this Independence Day holiday travel season, which is a 5.4% increase over last year’s travel volumes. 

Some of the airports receiving new funding from the Biden-Harris Administration include: 

• $66.7 million to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Arizona: This grant funds the site demolition and preparation for a new 2,100-foot taxiway to accommodate more flights.
   
• $22.2 million to Philadelphia International Airport in Pennsylvania: This grant funds the rehabilitation of a taxiway and engineered safety enhancements to a runway. 
   
• $30.1 million to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia: This grant funding will reconstruct a runway. 
   
• $8.2 million to Hollywood Burbank Airport in California: This grant funds the third phase of construction for a new terminal building. This phase consists of construction of the foundation and waterproofing to meet design standards.
   
• $8.8 million to Bradley International Airport in Connecticut: This grant funds the rehabilitation of Runway 6/24 to improve safety.
   
• $2.2 million to Northeast Wyoming Regional Airport in Wyoming: This grant funds construction of a new taxilane off Taxiway A to provide airfield access to a non-exclusive hangar development area to meet current FAA standards. 
   
• $17.2 million to Palm Beach International Airport in Florida: This grant funds the rehabilitation of existing Runway 14/32 shoulders to improve safety. Additionally, this grant funds reconstruction of the pavement for Taxiways F and H. 
   
• $26.6 million to Indianapolis International Airport in Indiana: This grant funds reconstruction of Runway 5/23 to improve safety.
   
• $1.3 million to Knox County Regional Airport in Maine: This grant funds reconstruction of taxilanes and the southwest general aviation apron. 

In addition to today’s AIG announcement, the FAA has opened the application period for airports to submit projects for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Airport Terminal Program (ATP), also funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The FY 2025 ATP provides approximately $1 billion in funding for safe, sustainable and accessible airport terminals, airport-owned airport traffic control towers, and on-airport rail and bus projects that improve multimodal connections.

“We’re seeing where our investments are making a real difference for communities across the nation,” said FAA Associate Administrator for Airports Shannetta R. Griffin, P.E. “I encourage airports to take advantage of this opportunity to build modern facilities that are accessible, safe, resilient to climate change impacts and achieve environmental sustainability.” 

Since 2022, the FAA has announced over 300 projects to receive ATP grants aimed at improving the passenger experience, modernizing America’s airports, and improving competition in the airline industry by supporting equal access to infrastructure for airlines. To date, over 190 terminal projects funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s ATP program are under construction, and six projects are already complete.  

Examples of these projects include: 

• $14.4 million to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona: This project updated and expanded the existing terminal to replace the temporary 4-gate facility with a permanent 5-gate. The new terminal facility improves energy efficiency and achieves Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance for individuals with access and functional needs. 
   
• $24 million to San Diego International Airport in California: This funding supported the demolition and reconstruction of a new energy efficient terminal facility with 19 passenger gates increasing passenger capacity. 
   
• $1.8 million to Corpus Christi International Airport in Texas: This project modernized restrooms, lactation rooms and service animal relief areas throughout the airport. Additionally, this project modernized the energy management systems including energy efficient generators, HVAC, and installation of electric vehicle charging stations.
   
• $5 million to Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport in Tennessee: This project added two new gates, one expanded gate, new restrooms, and an additional TSA screening lane. The additional space increased passenger capacity to achieve ADA compliance.
   
• $219,988 to Henderson City-County Airport in Kentucky: This project installed a new roof for the terminal building.  
   
• $11 million to Missoula Airport in Montana: This project constructed phase 2 of a new terminal building equipped with energy efficient systems, improving capacity for increased passenger demand. 

In February 2024, after a robust competition, Secretary Buttigieg announced the project selections for the FY 2024 ATP totaling approximately $1 billion. The selected projects are moving quickly towards implementation.  

Airports are encouraged to submit eligible project applications for the FY 2025 Airport Terminal Program as soon as possible but no later than 5 PM ET, July 31, 2024. The Notice of Funding Opportunity outlines the criteria for airports to apply. 

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 $454 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for over 57,000 infrastructure projects across the nation and has mobilized over $877 billion in private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United States. 

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