O’Hare Airport will receive $40 million in federal grant money to improve airports across the United States, transportation officials announced Thursday.
The airport will use the grant money to make improvements to Terminal 3, such as the reconfiguration of two TSA checkpoints into a single-screening area, an expanded passenger corridor and holdroom space, a revamped baggage claim area and other improvements that will improve overall energy efficiency, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation.
“O’Hare is critical to the infrastructure of the entire Chicago region, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and keeping the greatest city in the world connected to every corner of it,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “Thanks to the support of the Biden-Harris Administration and members of Illinois’ Congressional delegation, this grant will complement the CDA’s ongoing efforts to modernize and expand O’Hare to serve the evolving needs of the traveling public for decades to come.”
For the second straight year, O’Hare received the largest such grant awarded for any airport in the United States. Last year, the airport received $50 million in grant money for the terminal upgrades.
“O’Hare’s bustling Terminal 3 is a critical piece of Chicago infrastructure that will continue to play a key role in our national aviation system for decades to come,” said Jamie L. Rhee, commissioner of the CDA, which owns and operates O’Hare and Midway airports. “We look forward to working with our partners in the construction trades to ensure this project provides contracting opportunities to help diverse small businesses build capacity, while also delivering on Mayor Johnson’s vision to use government to connect young people across this city with opportunities to fulfill their potential.”
O’Hare is one of 114 airports nationwide that will split $970 million in grant money. The grants will be used to build or expand terminal facilities, improve passenger experience and refurbish airport-owned traffic control towers among a list of other improvements.
“Under this administration, we are doing more to improve the travel experience than ever before, from expanding consumer protections to modernizing the physical infrastructure,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “These investments we’re announcing today, made possible by President Biden’s historic infrastructure package, will make it easier for passengers to get to and through airports, create jobs, and increase safety for all.”
The funding comes from the Airport Terminal Program, which provides $1 billion annually for five years for Airport Terminal Program grants, the department said. In total, the infrastructure law granted $25 billion toward modernizing airport infrastructure nationwide.
The estimated $200 million project at Terminal 3 is part of the “O’Hare 21" program, which the CDA describes as “Chicago’s vision for a 21st century airport.” The balance of the Terminal 3 upgrade will be paid for by previously allocated federal funds and airline rates and charges, the CDA said.
Construction on the renovations was expected to begin this spring and wrap up by summer 2027, officials said. Construction will be done in phases to allow for continued use of the terminal.
“This funding serves as a down payment for the long-term economic success of our state, laying the groundwork for growth, connectivity and prosperity for generations to come,” U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said in a statement.
