Biden’s Billion-Dollar Boost for Airports: See 5 Projects Getting Funded

The White House said Thursday it would allocate nearly $1 billion for airport infrastructure projects as part of an effort to modernize U.S. airports. 

Much of this funding — $970 million — will be used to create wider concourses, more efficient baggage systems and additional gates at 114 airports across the country. The funds will also go toward ensuring airports are ADA compliant. 

“We’re living through an unprecedented round of investment and improvements in all forms of our country’s infrastructure,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. 

Airports as big as Chicago O’Hare International Airport to those as small as Wisconsin’s Appleton International Airport will receive grants. Buttigieg said the grants for O’Hare will go toward a wider concourse, bigger bathrooms and more efficient TSA screening. 

Airports have been a sore spot for the U.S. While airports in Europe and Asia are filled with luxury shops and restaurants, most U.S. airports don’t have such amenities. President Biden once famously described LaGuardia Airport as a “third world country” before it underwent major renovations. 

The Biden Administration has provided a total of $3 billion in airport funding out of the $25 billion earmarked for airports through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

Here is a breakdown of some of the major U.S. airports that will receive funding:

• Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport: Fort Lauderdale’s airport is receiving the largest grant at $50 million. The $50 million is earmarked for a portion of a project that will connect all three terminals at the airport. The grant will also go toward enhancing security checkpoints, renovating a bag hall, expanding a holdroom and adding more retail space. 
• Daniel K. Inouye International Airport: Honolulu’s airport will receive $22 million to renovate its aging Terminal 2 roadway. The money will also be used to build more sidewalks to expand passenger access, improve the airport’s “wiki wiki bus” and make lighting and other electrical improvements to the Terminal 2 Diamond Head Concourse. 
• Boston Logan International Airport: The White House gave Boston’s airport $12 million to renovate its air-traffic control tower. 
• Austin-Bergstrom International Airport: Austin received $14.25 million to design its new midfield Concourse B. The new concourse will add 20 new gates to the airport. The funding will also be used for another 20 gate concourse in the future. 
• Washington Dulles International Airport: Dulles will get $35 million to partially fund a 14-gate, 400,000 square foot terminal that will include connections to the Aerotrain and Metrorail.