Sean Duffy announces $1.8 billion Trump admin airport upgrades across 46 states

3EGFYWT Washington, United States. 19th May, 2026. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy speaks during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies hearing on the fiscal year 2027 budget request for the Department of Transportation in the Dirksen Senate Office Building near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI Credit: UPI/Alamy Live News

Photo: Alamy

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Thursday announced nearly $1.8 billion in federal funding to rehabilitate and modernize airports across the country.

Duffy said the Federal Aviation Administration is awarding $1.776 billion in Airport Infrastructure Grants and Airport Improvement Program funding for projects in 46 states as part of the Trump administration’s effort to upgrade the nation’s aviation system.

The funding will support runway rehabilitation, taxiway improvements, terminal upgrades, lighting enhancements and other safety projects intended to improve air travel for millions of Americans.

“What better way to celebrate America than investing in its future,” Duffy said in a statement.

“We’re ushering in the Golden Age of Transportation and rebuilding our airport infrastructure is critical to making that vision a reality.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, we are building an aviation system worthy of our country’s incredible history.”

Among the largest awards are $88.8 million for pavement projects at Denver International Airport, $74 million for runway rehabilitation and apron expansion at Boise Air Terminal, $62.4 million for runway improvements at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, $62.2 million for runway construction at William P. Hobby Airport and $47.6 million for taxiway work and a new aircraft rescue and firefighting facility at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Additional major grants include $36 million for terminal, taxiway and lighting improvements at Orlando International Airport and $28.1 million for taxiway rehabilitation at Oakland International Airport.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the funding goes beyond repairing airport infrastructure.

“The FAA is prioritizing improving our nation’s airports and ensuring we issue grants quickly and efficiently,” Bedford said. “This funding does more than just rebuild runways and taxiways, it modernizes the travel experience for American families, ensuring our airports are safe and ready for the future.”

Duffy has pledged to complete major upgrades by 2028, including replacing aging copper telecommunications lines, installing 27,000 new radios, deploying hundreds of new radar systems and upgrading air traffic control towers nationwide.

The FAA is also seeking additional funding from Congress to develop artificial intelligence tools designed to improve flight efficiency and reduce delays by predicting congestion before it occurs.

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