Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport will receive $18,029,200 to fund construction of a new taxiway and the reconstruction of an apron, the largest single grant in a $32 million distribution to 12 airports across Arizona. The funding for Sky Harbor accounts for more than half of the state's total allocation in this round of federal airport grants, and the awards are part of a broader, nationwide commitment to airport infrastructure announced this week. Stacks of U.S. $100 bills illustrating the $32 million in FAA funding headed to Arizona airports, with Phoenix Sky Harbor slated to receive $18,029,200 for taxiway and apron reconstruction.
Federal officials said the package is drawn from a $1.8 billion nationwide program unveiled by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, intended to support airport projects across the country. The Federal Aviation Administration outlined the kinds of work the funding will support, including runway rehabilitation, safety enhancements and other infrastructure improvements at airports of varying sizes. The Arizona awards are a component of that larger federal effort, which dispersed money to metropolitan hubs as well as tribal, rural and regional airfields.
Beyond Sky Harbor, the FAA identified 11 other Arizona airports that will receive grants under this action. Casa Grande Municipal Airport is slated for $3.5 million to cover apron reconstruction. Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport in Bullhead City will receive $3.4 million for a safety area project. On the Hopi Nation, Polacca Airport is set to get $4.6 million for runway reconstruction. Grand Canyon National Park Airport was allocated $954,391 to rehabilitate its terminal access road.
Additional awards in the state include funding for several smaller municipal and regional fields. Falcon Field in Mesa will receive $549,000 for construction of a new taxiway. Eric Marcus Municipal Airport in Ajo is set to get $390,554 for work on runway visual guidance and a lighting vault. Show Low Regional Airport will receive $345,665 to support a planning study. Kingman Airport has been allocated $243,085 for apron rehabilitation, while Safford Regional Airport will receive $149,150 for runway visual guidance improvements. Lake Havasu City Airport is slated for $123,880 for taxiway reconstruction, and Avi Suquilla Airport in Parker will receive $59,569 for apron rehabilitation.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford commented on the pace and purpose of the awards, saying the agency is prioritizing efficient movement of grant funds and describing the investments as extending beyond basic runway work to broader improvements in passenger and airfield experience. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy framed the spending as part of a wider effort to modernize transportation infrastructure across the country, noting the role of federal support in enabling state and local airport projects.
The airports receiving awards in Arizona range from tribal airstrips and rural fields to busy regional and international hubs, reflecting a mix of project types and scales in the federal distribution. The announced projects cover pavement and taxiway work, lighting and visual guidance systems, access road rehabilitation and planning efforts, indicating a cross-section of infrastructure needs throughout the state.
Officials did not provide a construction schedule for the work at Phoenix Sky Harbor or timelines for other projects in the state. The FAA release accompanying the awards did not include start dates for the individual projects. The federal announcements instead focused on the amounts being made available and the intended categories of improvement, leaving local airport authorities and contractors to coordinate the next steps in design and construction.
The $32 million allocated to Arizona represents a portion of the wider $1.8 billion grant package announced by the Department of Transportation. State and local airport officials will now move forward with project planning and implementation according to their own schedules and procurement processes, using the federal funds to address the infrastructure needs identified in their proposals. The FAA will continue to administer the grants and oversee compliance with applicable program requirements as work proceeds.
The FAA press release announcing the round of airport grants was dated Thursday, July 2, 2026, and listed the nationwide package at $1.776 billion.
Local reporting that referenced FAA data shows the total awarded to Arizona airports in this round was $33,517,959, a larger statewide sum than the $32 million figure cited earlier in the article.
Phoenix Sky Harbor spokesman Jon Brodsky said the airport’s $18,029,200 allocation is being applied to projects already under construction, split roughly $9.5 million toward the Taxiway U project and about $8.5 million toward the Terminal 3 North Concourse apron.
Local reporting notes the Taxiway U program’s total project budget tops $330 million and the Terminal 3 North Concourse project is reported at roughly $368 million, with both projects expected to be completed in 2027.