Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Aug. 4 announced $870 million in airport infrastructure funding covering 44 states and two U.S. territories, one of the largest single-day airport investment announcements of the current administration.
The funding flows through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program and covers runway upgrades, safety improvements and family-friendly facility enhancements at commercial airports nationwide. Individual grants go directly to airport operators.
The investment touches airports in nearly every state, providing federal dollars for projects that range from resurfacing runways to constructing new terminal facilities. The AIP program has been the primary federal pipeline for airport capital improvements for decades.
Airport infrastructure spending has bipartisan support in Congress, and the FAA distributes AIP grants based on formulas that account for passenger volume, cargo activity and airport classification.
The announcement comes as U.S. airports are handling near-record passenger volumes, with the Transportation Security Administration screening more than 2.9 million travelers on multiple days during the 2026 summer travel season.
Airport operators receiving grants must provide matching funds, typically covering 10% of project costs at large hub airports and smaller percentages at regional facilities.