ICYMI: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funds Start Flying Towards Airports Nationwide

Today, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that the first $3 billion of investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will soon be disbursed to 3,075 airports across the country. The investments are expected to modernize airport infrastructure, improve experiences for travelers, strengthen safety, support good jobs, and make America's travel hubs more sustainable. As airports have struggled to rebound from the pandemic, they will have the autonomy to determine how to make these investments that support their economic growth.

The FAA's website includes a searchable, interactive map displaying how much funding airports are receiving from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which can be viewed here.

See excerpts from the Washington Post's coverage below:

Washington Post: FAA awards first $3 billion in new airport infrastructure funds
[Ian Duncan, 12/16/21]

"The Federal Aviation Administration announced Thursday how it will allocate the first $3 billion in new funds for airports from the infrastructure law, money that could spur upgrades in terminals and on the tarmac to help get passengers to planes more quickly and into the air on time."

"It's the first major new tranche of federal airport funding since the stimulus adopted after the financial crisis more than a decade ago. It also represents a new level of investment by the federal government in terminals — at an average of 40 years old — which could help airports update aging facilities by plugging gaps in existing funding sources."

"'The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has given us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build safer and more sustainable airports that connect individuals to jobs and communities to the world,' Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. 'With this new funding, urban, regional and rural airports across the country now can get to work on projects that have waited for years, modernizing their infrastructure and building a better America.'"

"'We will see a significant portion of this money go in some way to terminal projects,' said Annie Russo, the [Airports Council International-North America]'s senior vice president of government and political affairs. 'It will be incredibly helpful in jump-starting projects.'"

"… Russo said opening the door to spending on terminals is new for the federal government — and something airport leaders pushed to be included in the bill. For years, airports have relied on the Passenger Facility Charge, a ticket fee, to fund building projects."