Fort Lauderdale airport gets $50M

US infrastructure grants also allot $7 million to PBIA, $27 million to MIA

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport has hit the federal grant jackpot with a $50 million outlay from Washington as the

Biden administration announced 10 Florida airports will be receiving millions for improvement and expansion projects.

The money headed for Broward County is part of more than $112 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to improve 10 airports around the state, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, which announced the grants late Thursday. The outlays for Florida “are part of nearly $1 billion in grants … for 114 airports across the country, spanning 44 states and three territories,” the agency said in a statement.

“Under this administration, we are doing more to improve the travel experience than ever before, from expanding consumer protections to modernizing the physical infrastructure,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. He said the money “will make it easier for passengers to get to and through airports, create jobs, and increase safety for all.”

Connector walkways for an expanding airport

In Fort Lauderdale, the federal money from a “Competitive Airport Terminal Program” allows for the construction of “enclosed post-security walkways between Terminals 1 and 2 and Terminals 2 and 3. The project also includes modifications to

existing terminals, such as enhanced security checkpoints, an upgraded bag hall, an expanded passenger gate-area hold room, and more retail concessions,” the Broward County Aviation Department said in a statement.

Airlines whose passengers will benefit include Southwest, Alaska, Allegiant, Frontier, Bahamasair, Silver, United and Westjet, which serve Terminal 1; Delta and Air Canada, which serve Terminal 2; and JetBlue Airways, Avelo, Azul. Flair, American, AirTransat, and Sun Country, which serve Terminal 3.

“We’re elated to receive news of this signature federal funding allocation for FLL — the largest grant allocation among the 114 U.S. airports

awarded on Thursday,” said Mark Gale, the department’s CEO/Director of Aviation. “It took a lot of effort and collaborative work on multiple levels to position our airport to qualify for this significant grant, and I’d like to thank everyone involved.”

The connectors project between terminals costs an estimated $260 million; officials have set a completion date for late 2027. Besides the FAA, funding partners include the airport’s signatory airlines and the Florida Department of Transportation.

“When completed, all airport terminals will be connected post-security, enabling passengers to move freely throughout the secured areas without exiting and re-entering a security checkpoint,” Gale said.

The new connectors are also expected to increase the access to airport concessions, improve wayfinding “and provide more flexibility with airline gate utilization to manage future growth,” the aviation department’s statement said.

“This $50 million in grant funding will go towards a massive investment into our airport’s infrastructure, which is one of the county’s most important economic engines,” Broward County Mayor Nan Rich said.

The connector project is among a number of initiatives on the drawing boards for the expansion-minded airport. It has broken ground on a fifth terminal to be built in conjunction with JetBlue Airways. Gale has vowed to “fix the front door” of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International to make it easier for travelers to enter and exit one of the state’s busiest airports.

The airport is a major conduit for tourists flying into

South Florida to catch cruise ships at Port Everglades or to spend vacations in the county’s many hotels and along its 24 miles of beaches.

South Florida’s other two international airports did well with the grant distribution.

Miami International Airport is receiving $27 million for two projects: The rehabilitation of its broken Skytrain people mover, which has been out of commission since last September, and a portion of the design phase of a modernization of the airport’s central terminal and Concourses E and F. Separately, the airport on Friday reported “unprecedented” traffic as an audit showed a record 52.3 million passengers served in 2023, a 3.2% increase over the previous year, which was also a record. International traffic rose by 8.5% to 23.2 million travelers.

Palm Beach International Airport is receiving $7 million to help fund the second phase of the airport’s Concourse B expansion and rehabilitation. “This phase will complete the expansion and modernization of the 13-gate concourse,” the statement said.

Other state airports receiving grants include:

■ Southwest Florida International Airport: $8 million to reconfigure and expand terminal access and curbside roadways for the airport that serves Greater Fort Myers.

■ Orlando Sanford Airport: $1 million for a portion of the rehabilitation of its west terminal corridor, “expanding the passenger waiting area and improving ADA accommodations.”

■ Punta Gorda Airport: $10 million for a terminal rehabilitation and expansion project. It includes “renovating the security checkpoint and adding public circulation, hold-room, and space for restrooms.”

■ St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport: $6 million for a terminal renovation and expansion consisting of “adding two new gates, consolidating TSA checkpoints, expanding passenger hold-rooms, increasing baggage make-up capacity, and adding escalators and elevators.”

■ Space Coast Regional Airport in Titusville: $2 million to partially fund the construction of a new control tower.

■ Venice Municipal Airport: $950,000 to help fund a new aviation terminal building for the airport, which is on the Gulf Coast south of Sarasota.

■ Williston Municipal Airport: $500,000 to help fund a new aviation terminal building for the airport in Levy County, which is southwest of Gainesville.