Hello everybody! Welcome to the Airport Construction/Expansion Tracking Thread! The purpose of this topic is to keep your fellow community members up-to-date about the latest and greatest improvements to airports all around the world.
Rules of posting to this thread
To ensure that all posts to this topic remain constructive (pun intended) and helpful, here are some general guidelines to adhere to:
include the airport name and ICAO to avoid confusion
if possible, provide any available renderings of the envisioned plans
cite sources where you found your information to allow others to read about it
read through others’ replies to avoid creating duplicate posts
no spamming off-topic things
Example post:
Orlando International Airport (MCO/KMCO) is currently working on a few different projects, one being a newer and more modern baggage system for departures, with another being expansions to Terminal C, which will provide more widebody gates and the potential for more flights all around the world! The baggage system is predicted to be substantially completed by 2027…
…and the pedestrian bridge/additional C gates are set to be completed by the winter of this year (2025)!
There is currently a number of remodeling/expansion/upgrade efforts underway at Minneapolis - Saint Paul International Airport (MSP/KMSP).
Terminal 2 Expansion ($263 million): “The project will add two additional airline gates and increase spacing and passenger seating for H13 and H14, the existing northern-most gates. The expansion will also include new restrooms, concession spaces, and additional operational support areas for airlines and tenants.” - MAC. This will add 168,000 square feet of terminals pace. Between current and proposed projects, capacity at Terminal 2 could increase from 14 to 36 gates by 2030. This is part of a general refresh in Terminal Two, including re-windowing some aspects of hte terminal, switching florescent lights to LED lights, and flooring work.
Terminal Two serves Sun County and other LCCs (Frontier, Southwest, etc.) as well as Icelandair.
Terminal 1 Refresh ($242 million): Paid for in part by Delta, this refresh will impact 6 concourses in Terminal 1 and is the largest remodel since the terminal was built. It aims to “improve operations, sustainability, and the overall passenger experience, creating a more welcoming and engaging atmosphere for travelers.” 75 gates will get new seating, screens, and more power outlets, and the terminal as a whole will be updated, with new flooring/carpeting, refreshed lighting, and some behind the scenes upgrades to improve the eco-friendliness of the airport.
Public Safety and Operations Center: the Metropolitan Airport Commission is building a new 170,000 square foot Public Safety and Operations Center, which will house the Minneapolis Airport Police, Minneapolis Airport Fire Department, 911 dispatch center, and other emergency functions utilizing “state of the art” technologies.
Here’s an 11 minute interview with Kevin Thibault, MCO’s current CEO(they’re currently looking for a new one, as he resigned in September of '24) about MCO’s future plans and such:
Asheville Regional Airport (AVL/KAVL) has been working on renovating and building new things! Currently, projects include an expansion of the terminal, the construction of a new control tower, and new parking…
…and there will also be new baggage systems, security checkpoints, and renovated existing terminal area!
All of this construction is set to be completed by the summer of 2027! I cannot wait to have a larger terminal here, as I fly out of here rather often!
Not exactly construction, but it will likely impact future plans!
MCO has just announced it’s new CEO - Lance Lyttle! Lyttle has been the CEO of the Seattle-Tacoma Airport in Washington State, but he’s decided that it’s too cold up there, and he wants some tropical sun!
According to Simple Flying, “Arif Ghouse, the current Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Seattle-Tacoma, will assume the interim role of Managing Director of the airport until the Port of Seattle can find a replacement for Lyttle.”
As an Orlando resident, hearing what Lance Lyttle has done for Seattle at his time there, it brings me great hope that maybe Orlando won’t be such a hated airport to fly through in the upcoming years.
Duluth International Airport, Minnesota’s second busiest commercial and the home of Cirrus Aircraft, has announced some improvement plans.
“We have much more to do over the next five years,” said Tom Werner, the executive director at DAA. “The airport plans to spend nearly $150-million on capital improvement projects, including continued reconstruction of our two-mile long parallel taxiway, additional hangers to support aviation businesses, and a new air traffic control tower at the Duluth International Airport.”
I am going to edit the first post to include a list of all the airports that have been mentioned in order to keep track of them for you guys (and you won’t have to scroll through all the replies)
Edit: check the main post at the bottom, update has been made. I will keep the list updated as more people post here
Following completion of BNA Vision a year or so ago, Nashville’s airport has undergone a complete reconstruction of the main terminal; construction of a new adjacent parking facility and hotel; construction of a new satellite terminal; fill-in and paving of the former drainage basin between Concourses B and C and conversion to a new de-icing ramp; and construction of a new Ramp control tower atop Concourse C.
Following all that, the next phase of BNA’s expansion is underway:
The biggest immediate change is the extension of Concourse D to add new gates, construction of which is well underway. Generally speaking, next up will be demolition and rebuilding of Concourse A to add additional gate capacity. Additionally, planning is underway for extension of runway 2L/20R by several thousand feet, with an eye to allow for takeoffs of heavy Asia- and Europe-bound widebody aircraft. Property has already been condemned for this purpose, though I don’t yet believe the FAA has approved the construction.
Further down the line, planning is underway to add an entirely new second terminal to the south of the existing terminal, in the approximate area now occupied by GA and Army National Guard facilities, and the existing FAA ATC tower.
Construction at BNA will be perpetual for the decade, and I cannot wait to see how much of a “glow-up” it has!
Orlando-Sanford International Airport (SFB/KSFB) has (somewhat) recently made plans to undergo a $300 million dollar expansion of developments set to reshape the airport and its surrounding area.
According to Theorlandoreal.com, "The airport has approved letters of intent for several large-scale projects covering 157 acres of land. These developments include:
PPK Aviation LLC: Leasing 36 acres to build state-of-the-art commercial hangars, enhancing the airport’s aviation infrastructure.
EPC Aerospace: Securing 66.7 acres for an aircraft modification and maintenance center, reinforcing Sanford’s role in aviation innovation.
Diversified Realty Acquisitions LLC: Proposing new hangars and potentially a hotel, adding a hospitality element to the airport’s facilities."
Guanacaste International Airport, the gateway for tourism in Western Costa Rica, has announced an expansion project.
“On the first floor, the redesign widened the passenger corridor for smoother access to the boarding lounges, introduced a new 5.1-square-meter pet relief area, and set the stage for a video wall to be installed soon.”
“The second level now features a mezzanine floor with a modern retail store, designed as a walk-through space offering a diverse range of shopping and dining options in an appealing, functional setting.”
Orlando International Airport (MCO/KMCO) and United Airlines broke ground at 10am EST today on a new technical operations complex valued at around $315 million.
