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. These grants aim to enhance 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 allocated for airport improvements, including 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, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened a record-breaking 2.99 million passengers in a single day at airports. TSA anticipates screening over 32 million individuals this Independence Day holiday travel season, a 5.4% increase from 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 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 funds the reconstruction of a runway.
• $8.2 million to Hollywood Burbank Airport in California: This grant funds the third phase of construction for a new terminal building, including 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 the construction of a new taxilane off Taxiway A to provide airfield access to a non-exclusive hangar development area.
• $17.2 million to Palm Beach International Airport in Florida: This grant funds the rehabilitation of Runway 14/32 shoulders and the reconstruction of pavement for Taxiways F and H.
• $26.6 million to Indianapolis International Airport in Indiana: This grant funds the reconstruction of Runway 5/23 to improve safety.
• $1.3 million to Knox County Regional Airport in Maine: This grant funds the 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 traffic control towers, and on-airport rail and bus projects that improve multimodal connections.

Since 2022, the FAA has announced over 300 projects to receive ATP grants aimed at improving the passenger experience, modernizing America’s airports, and enhancing 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, with six projects already complete.

The post Investing in America: Biden-Harris Administration Commits $289M to Airport Enhancements Amid Travel Surge appeared first on Travel And Tour World.