Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA), the trade association representing commercial service airports in the United States and Canada, released a new report, Terminally Challenged: Addressing the Infrastructure Funding Shortfall of America’s Airports, detailing the significant infrastructure needs of America’s airports.
America’s airports face more than $128 billion in new infrastructure needs across the system and a debt burden of $91.6 billion from past projects.
“The results are in and it is painfully clear that airports are terminally challenged,” said ACI-NA president and CEO Kevin M. Burke. “Inadequate airport infrastructure that fails to meet the growing needs of local businesses and tourists puts in jeopardy the continued economic growth of American cities, states and regions. Airports are experiencing record growth, but aging and outdated infrastructure threatens their ability to serve their passengers and local communities.”
The study estimates airport infrastructure needs over the next five years total $128.1 billion, or $25.6 billion annualized, to accommodate increasing passenger and cargo traffic, rehabilitate existing facilities and support aircraft innovation. This reflects a more than 28 percent increase since 2017, and an 80 percent increase since 2013. Terminal projects account for nearly 56 percent of infrastructure needs of all responding airports.