Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) has announced that it will soon be breaking ground on yet another expansion of Terminal A, set to open in 2029. It was just the summer of 2023 when the last round of major construction was completed on the very same terminal to bring its capacity up to a total of 33 gates.
According to Zach Griff, the next overhaul will have six gates to the north side and two gates to the south side, along with new customer amenities like concessions, restrooms, and possibly lounges. The continued growth of Terminal A is part of the $45 billion EWR Vision Plan Underway by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
The Port Authority is investing $110 million into the North and South Pier expansions. The terminal will grow by 25,000 square feet when all the new spaces have been constructed. Along with adding more gates for aircraft, the improvements will also include the installation of dynamic signage at TSA checkpoints, a new arrivals and departures hall, as well as more local dining options.
Terminal A will be decorated with new installations that showcase the work of 29 local artists to modernize the atmosphere and bring more of the New Jersey character to its most iconic airfield. The Port Authority also outlined plans for family-friendly seating, benches, lounges, and workstations throughout the new terminal spaces. It is also going to build interactive children's play areas.
The extensive amount of work being performed across the entire airport has required the Port Authority to coordinate carefully with the Federal Aviation Administration to keep operations moving at a normal pace while it prepares us to greatly expand traffic flow. Newark is not only undergoing massive construction to Terminals A, B, and C over the coming years, but also to the runway and landside transportation.
The last series of infrastructure improvements to Terminal A were estimated to cost around $2.7 billion, which dwarfs the most recently announced upgrade plan. Yet, the additional capacity and customer services will greatly enhance the major works that were completed in 2023.
While the new work is ongoing at Terminal A, the Port Authority wants to completely demolish and rebuild Terminal B. Suddenly, Terminal C is slated to be modernized with significant improvements across the board. A new $3.5 billion AirTrain is also being constructed, with operations expected to begin in 2030.
Newark is also rerouting the roadways and overhauling airside facilities to completely separate vehicle traffic. The airport is working to have independent circulation loops for ground vehicles, along with a third major taxiway to follow on. This will complement the improvements made to Runway 4L-22R to ease the congestion that has long been problematic for EWR.
However, runway 4L/22R will continue to be closed on weeknights between September and December to fully complete the process.
In the past, Newark has been ranked among some of the most delayed and unpleasant airports in the US for travelers. The Port Authority has worked tirelessly to change course and improve both the flow of airplanes through the Airfield and the experience for flyers passing through EWR's doors.
One of the most constraining factors that New York has to contend with is its limited real estate. Not only does that leave the airport with a more confined terminal area than many mega hubs, but it also means that the tarmac is a complex labyrinth of taxiway intersections. In order to eliminate as many bottlenecks as possible without any extra 'elbow room,' the Port Authority is working to maximize efficiency in every aspect of operations.
New and improved terminal spaces will decrease congestion at security checkpoints and jet bridges. Meanwhile, the new train and improved roadway layout will make pickup and drop-off smoother while also eliminating the need for many travelers to travel by car all the way to the curb. The redesigned terminals and landside infrastructure will also maximize apron space to make the flight line more efficient and improve travel at EWR overall.
