SPI Insights

Ohio – A $2 billion transformation of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is being proposed in an updated master plan that contains several major capital projects to support the airport’s ability to remain competitive when passenger traffic returns to pre-pandemic levels.

Prior to COVID-19, the airport served more than 10 million passengers in 2019 and realized the terminal’s concourse and security screening areas were undersized. Parts of the terminal built in the 1950s, 1970s, and 1990s are past their useful life.

The new master plan features two alternatives – Family 1 focuses on renovating three concourses and adding another at a total cost of $1.88 billion, and Family 2 emphasizes new construction with four new concourses and one renovated concourse for a $2.07 billion total.

In the recommended Family 2 timeline, the first phase of construction would involve building a new Concourse E, replacing Concourse B, demolishing Concourse D, and renovating Concourses A and C.

Officials highlighted the relocation of rental car facilities to the airport as a major step toward addressing needs identified during the master plan process. Proposed landside improvements include construction of temporary surface parking, a temporary cell lot, and temporary taxi area in addition to rental car garages.

The second phase would realign the terminal front and add a temporary arrivals curb and ground transportation center, a terminal loop road, surface parking, and a cell lot. A third phase would replace Concourse C, expand the terminal and secure side, and add more surface parking, an exit plaza, and commercial vehicle staging. A fourth phase would replace Concourse D and complete the terminal face.

Cleveland Hopkins officials plan to submit the airport layout plan and forecast to the Federal Aviation Administration for review.