US Airports Renovate, Expand to Improve Traveler Satisfaction

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.