Orlando International, airports across the country are spending billions to upgrade

ORLANDO -- Construction workers and heavy machinery scurry and grind about the dirt and muck most days at Orlando International Airport, which is in the midst of a billion dollar-plus expansion.

That bustling scene is being repeated at airports across the state -- as well as nationally.

The four major airports in Florida -- Orlando, Miami, Tampa and Fort Lauderdale -- all are adding on or renovating or both, collectively spending in excess of $10 billion over eight years.

The renovations across the state include everything from new terminals and train depots to improved roads and new carpet.

The same is occurring, or is about to, elsewhere in the country. New York City's La Guardia Airport, for example, is embarking on a $4 billion overhaul of its crowded and run-down terminals. Los Angeles has a $2 billion upgrade underway.

Atlanta's Hartsdale-Jackson Airport intends to spend more than $8.5 billion during the next 20 years.

"Eventually, you hit a critical mass where it has to be done," said MacAdam Glinn, a senior vice president and previously a top member of the aviation team for Skanska, the international construction firm.

Driving much of the work, Glinn said, is the influx of international visitors, especially in Florida.

Right now, Orlando is the 15th-busiest airport in the country, while Miami comes in at No. 12, Fort Lauderdale is No. 21 and Tampa is No. 29. Atlanta's airport is No. 1, Los Angeles is No. 2 and La Guardia is No. 20.

All the Florida airports are adding or improving space for foreign travelers, in part because international carriers tend to fly larger jets carrying more people than in the past.

In Orlando, the airside 4 hub is undergoing a $114 million redo that will enlarge the U.S. Customs and Border Protection entry area as well as enlarge the gates for the bigger jets.

Orlando also is building a $213 million train depot and an accompanying parking garage that could serve a new $2 billion southern terminal that would largely cater to international travelers.

Construction of the second terminal could begin within a couple of years, if passenger counts continue growing in Orlando.

Foreign visitors are highly coveted by airports and nearby communities because they stay longer and spend more money than visitors from nearby states.

Phil Brown, who runs

Orlando International, said the number of passengers going through the airport has grown steadily since the economy started recovering from the recession that started in 2007. A record of more than 37.5 million travelers could use Orlando this year.

"We need to keep our operating efficiency," Brown said.

That includes going high-tech as the airlines look to reduce costs by installing more do-it-yourself devices for passengers, including tagging baggage and printing out boarding passes at kiosks.

"The needs of the flying public are changing," Brown said.

Airports get beat up, too, with millions of distracted travelers tromping through the terminal, wearing out everything from carpets to restrooms. Like all airports, Orlando, which opened in 1981, needs continual maintenance.

"Who among us isn't going to fix up their house or upgrade it after 35 years?" Glinn said.

Amenities are important, too. New and nicer restaurants are in the offing in Orlando and elsewhere. And the airport recently opened a reflection space that caters to Muslims, in part because Emirates airlines last month started flying into Orlando International from Dubai.

Glinn said ease of use and the look and feel of an airport is significant because travelers are becoming more picky about where they fly in and out of.

"People increasingly have a choice of hubs, if the cost is relatively equal," Glinn said.

Nationally, airports have a collective need of almost $76 billion in improvements to keep up with the growing number of passengers and cargo shipments, according to the Airports Council International -- North America.

"As the U.S. economy continues to gain strength and air travel rebounds, we must guarantee to passengers and cargo shippers that we can continue to meet increases in demand," said Airports Council CEO Kevin Burke.

This story was originally published October 18, 2015 at 10:36 PM with the headline "Orlando International, airports across the country are spending billions to upgrade ."