JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Big changes are underway at the Jacksonville International Airport.
The long-anticipated Concourse B will introduce six new gates to the airport’s existing 20, enhancing operations and efficiency. The changes also include a new multi-million-dollar parking garage.
Michael Stewart, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority’s vice president of external affairs, noted the progress.
“We’ve had some starts and stops, given the recession and COVID, but now we’re fully under construction,” he said.
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Stewart emphasized that the addition of these gates will improve the efficiency of current operations.
“It will help us with the efficiency of the current operation, and it will be able to we’ll be able to grow the number of operations here because of these additional gates,” he added.
With the new gates, JAX will be better positioned to accommodate increased service as the region grows.
When asked whether the new concourse would attract more flights, Stewart clarified, “That is not the primary reason” for the expansion.
”The primary reason, obviously, is growth in the Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia area, and as this area grows, there will be additional service coming to Northeast Florida," Stewart said.
In addition to the new concourse, a $90 million third parking garage is also in development and is expected to be completed just ahead of Concourse B.
While airport leaders said this expansion is focused on preparing for growth, some travelers hope it incorporates sustainable practices.
“I would like to see it as sustainable as possible, so any kind of alternative energy systems like heat pumps or solar panels or even trenching for heat that goes around the ground, make sure that the recycling is as efficient as possible,” Sharon Huttner said.
Huttner, who has been flying in and out of Jacksonville International Airport for over 30 years, welcomed the changes.
“I think that it’s in the perfect location for expansion because it’s not really near any neighborhoods or any kind of other residential areas, and so it’s kind of in the industrial area anyway,” she said.
Construction is expected to wrap up by the end of 2026, providing JAX with more room to grow and additional opportunities to connect travelers across the country.