![Artist's rendering of the new ATC tower planned for Duluth International Aiport in Minnesota [Credit: Duluth International Airport Facebook page]](https://flyingmag1.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/487126758_1103331218505497_2771859911391819684_n.jpg?width=2048&height=1082)
The FAA is contributing an additional $20 million to Duluth International Airport (KDLH) to help pay for a new air traffic control tower. The Minnesota airport is a city-owned, public-use joint civil-military facility located some 5 miles to the northwest of the city.
The present control tower is the third oldest in the U.S.. It has been in service since the 1950s and, according to the FAA, will be replaced by a modern tower that will “improve safety and efficiency at the airport.”
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The agency previously awarded $16.8 million in funds from its Airport Terminal Program for the project.
“During my visit in August, I saw firsthand the critical need to replace Duluth’s aging air traffic control tower—one of the oldest still used in the country,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in a statement. “This $20 million investment moves the project closer to construction and ensures controllers will have the modern equipment they need to keep air travel safe. This administration is delivering real results for communities like Duluth.”
The FAA noted the new funding will allow Duluth to move forward with the project in a single construction phase rather than two, saving more than $5 million by eliminating the need for phased work.
The new tower will be twice the height of the existing structure, which will give air traffic controllers (ATCs) improved sight lines to the airfield.
“Duluth International Airport has seen remarkable growth over the past decade, with over 150,000 flights last year and increasing traffic throughout 2025,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. “Managing a mix of commercial flights, Air National Guard missions, and flight training operations across a complex runway layout demands top-tier facilities. This new tower will give our controllers what they need to keep operations safe and efficient as the airport continues to serve the region.”
![Transportation Secretary Sean Duff (left) attended the August announcement of the plans for a new ATC at Duluth International Airport in Minnesota. [Credit: Duluth International Airport Facebook page]](https://flyingmag1.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/530380677_1215609173944367_2460911326149977581_n.jpg?width=768&height=1024)
The total cost of the tower project, according to the FAA, is $66 million, and the funds are coming from both federal and state agencies.
In June the Duluth Airport Authority (DAA) announced the state of Minnesota had approved a $10 million cash allocation during the 2025 legislative session to support the replacement of the tower. The funding was included as part of the state’s transportation bill.
About the Airport
Duluth International Airport was established in 1929 when the city purchased the property from Saint Louis County. The airport covered 640 acres and had two sod runways measuring 2,650 feet long. In 1930 the airport was dedicated as Williamson-Johnson Municipal Airport. By 1940 the airport had regularly scheduled air service by Northwest Airlines.
During World War II the military took possession of the airport, creating three paved runways (3/21, 9/27, and 13/31), with each measuring 4,000 feet long. The U.S. Air Force maintained a presence at KDLH after the war and extended Runway 9/27 to 9,000 feet. In 1956 the runway was rebuilt and again extended, this time to 10,152 feet.
Today the airport has two runways: 9/27, measuring 10,591 by 150, and the non-precision runway 3/21, measuring 5,791 by 150.
In 1961 the airport was renamed Duluth International Airport. It is Minnesota’s third-busiest airport behind Minneapolis-St. Paul International (KMSP) and Rochester International (KRST).
