Duffy: Newark to Ramp Up Flights as Runway Reopens Early

Transportation secretary says airport will maintain a rate of 34 arrivals and departures per hour through October.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, June 03, 2025 at 10:56 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An air traffic control tower at Newark Liberty International Airport [Credit: Wikimedia Commons]

Key Takeaways:

Newark Liberty International Airport's main runway (4L/22R) reopened two weeks ahead of schedule, enabling an increase in flight operations from 28 to 34 arrivals/departures per hour by mid-June to mitigate recent disruptions.
Despite the runway's early return, Newark still faces staffing shortages at the Philadelphia TRACON and issues with outdated telecommunications infrastructure, though new controllers are training and faulty copper wiring is being replaced with fiber optics.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is championing a national, $12.5 billion plan to modernize the country's outdated air traffic control systems, with funding anticipated by July and long-term improvements expected within 3-4 years.

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Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR) continues to contend with equipment and staffing issues that created major disruptions in April and May. But the airport could ramp up activity earlier than expected.

On Monday, Newark’s 11,000-foot Runway 4L/22R—the busiest of its three runways for departures—reopened for departures about two weeks before a $121 million rehabilitation effort was slated to end. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the airport could boost the rate of arrivals and departures from 28 to 34 per hour once the runway is certified for arrivals, which he predicted will happen June 9 or 10.