White House Announces US$970 Million for Airport Improvements

DALLAS — The Biden administration announced on Thursday that it will provide US$970 million for improvements at 114 airports nationwide. The funding will be used for various projects, including wider concourses, new baggage-handling systems, and new terminals at some small airfields.

The money for these improvements comes from a US$5 billion grant program to modernize airport terminals. The most considerable sum, US$50 million, will be allocated to the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) in Florida. This funding will connect terminals behind security checkpoints and provide new retail space and amenities.

Other airports that will receive funding include O'Hare International Airport (ORD) in Chicago, which will receive US$40 million to widen a concourse and make other changes to improve passenger experience. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) will also receive amounts ranging from US$31 million to US$36 million.

It's worth noting that there were over 600 applications for this funding, with requests totaling US$14 billion. In addition to these airport improvements, the Transportation Department recently announced US$244 million in grants to improve other airport facilities, such as runways and taxiways.

Overall, these airport infrastructure investments aim to enhance passenger travel experience and support the growth and modernization of airports nationwide. How long the projects will take to complete is another matter, as discussed by next week's guest on The Airways Podcast, Senior Analyst Jay Shabat.

A White House press briefing is set to start at 1 p.m. EST. Watch live below.

https://youtu.be/QgFYbSqaLTY

Featured image: Delta Air Lines at Fort Lauderdale- Hollywood International Airport. Photo: Helwing Villamizar/Airways

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