FAA Says Happy Fourth of July With $1.776B in Airport Grants

Fresh funding will support a range of projects, from runway rehabilitations to safety upgrades.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, July 02, 2026 at 01:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Zach Vasile

A Boeing 737 operated by Southwest Airlines taxis at Denver International Airport (KDEN), which on Thursday was awarded $88.8 million for pavement projects. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA is awarding $1.776 billion in grants to airports across 46 states for runway rehabilitations, safety upgrades, and other modernization projects, celebrating America's 250th birthday.
This funding is part of larger initiatives, including over $1 billion in FY26 Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants and the $14.5 billion Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG) program established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Beyond airport infrastructure, the Transportation Department is also investing over $800 million to replace air traffic control facilities and is overseeing a $12.5 billion ATC modernization effort.
The FAA is restricting operations at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport for Independence Day celebrations, which include flyovers featuring President Trump's new Air Force One and other military aircraft.

See a mistake? Contact us.

The FAA is celebrating America’s 250th birthday and wishing airports in 46 states a happy Fourth of July by awarding $1.776 billion in grants that will support a range of upgrades, including runway rehabilitations and safety upgrades.

As of Thursday, the regulator has awarded more than $1 billion in Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants in fiscal year 2026 (FY26). Earlier this year, it released the fifth and final installment of the $14.5 billion Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG) program established in 2022 by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, allocating $2.89 billion for FY26.