Florida, Chicago airports among many receiving airport funding

Airports around the country are getting an upgrade. The Federal Aviation Administration announced that it is granting a total of nearly $1 billion to approximately 100 different airports with the goal of improving passenger experience.

The funding is derived from the Biden administration’s Infrastructure Law. According to Travel and Leisure, Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport is set to receive the highest amount of any airport listed. The airport will be earning $50 million to put toward upgrades and expansions to its Terminal 3 building. Revamping the terminal’s TSA checkpoint, installing accessible restrooms and updating the baggage system are all on the airport’s docket of enhancements.

In a news release, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that travelers are deserving of “the best airports in the world, and with demand for air travel surging back, this funding to improve the passenger experience couldn’t come at a more urgent time.”

“These grants will make it faster and easier to check your bags, get through security and find your gate,” he continued, “all while creating jobs and supporting local economies.”

In addition to O’Hare, other airports benefiting from this grant are Key West International Airport in Key West, Florida; Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in Savannah, Georgia; and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in Texas.

The allocated funds will not only improve travel experiences, but is also set to have a positive impact on local communities as a whole.

“Today’s funding doesn’t just improve airport terminals,” said Deputy FAA Administrator A. Bradley Mims. “It creates opportunities in communities large and small for good-paying jobs and a chance to be part of our country’s thriving aviation sector.”

Roshae Hemmings is an arts and culture magazine journalist from St. Louis, MO. A graduate from the Missouri School of Journalism, Roshae has bylines in the Columbia Missourian, Vox Magazine and 5280 Magazine discussing topics ranging from pop culture, social justice and eat and drink. She is a foodie at heart and enjoys eating food as much as learning about the story behind it. When she’s not working on a story, Roshae enjoys cooking, watching and analyzing reality TV, and spending time with family and friends.

This story was originally published February 28, 2023 at 5:34 PM with the headline "Florida, Chicago airports among many receiving airport funding."