Louisville airport will use $13 million in federal funding to transform security checkpoints, upgrade terminal

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- New renderings show how the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport will use $13 million in federal funds to transform its security area to accommodate record growth.

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the money to the airport as part the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Passed in 2021, the legislation gave Kentucky billions of dollars over five years for improvements to roads, bridges, airports and more.

Of the $13 million, $7.5 million will be used for an expansion to the airport's TSA checkpoint, a project that was planned three years ago.

"The $7.5 million was really instrumental in helping us do this without accruing more debt and finding other sources," Dan Mann, executive director of the airport, said Monday.

The new construction area is right next to the current TSA line. It's a 30,000-square-foot expansion, going from seven lanes to 10. What was one a series of lines that could accommodate 125 people will be able to handle more than 370 by the spring.

Louisville Airport TSA Lines — The security upgrade at the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport is a 30,000-square-foot expansion, going from seven lanes to 10. Feb. 19, 2024. *(WDRB Photo)*

"We worked with our gift shop to say 'Hey, we need to take some of this space back,'" Mann said. "This construction going on right now is emptying all that space out, so we will triple the size of the queue."

Near the queue will also feature a new Churchill Downs store. And filling out the rest of the $13 million investment will be some behind-the-scenes improvements, including $5.5 million toward a micro grid for backup power, generators that will keep the airport and parking garage going for up 72 hours in case of an electrical outage.

And the $13 million is the latest in a long list of updates. The airport has invested $126 million in new bathrooms, moving walkways, the command center and the new baggage handling system.

New technology will track when the plane lands and the very first bag that gets to the baggage claim.

The airport also added lanes in the security checkpoint, turning an hour long wait into 15-25 minutes, depending on the time of the day.

More investments this year will focus on improving the taxiway and runway, parking garage and the ticketing and rental car counters.

With 2023 being a record-setting year for the airport, 2024 is on track to be as big, if not bigger — especially with major festivals, the PGA Championship and the 150th Kentucky Derby.

This first quarter, we are far ahead of last year's quarter, as far as capacity," Mann said. "So I am not surprised at all."

But the biggest excitement surrounds a new Federal Inspection Services (FIS) facility that would allow for international travel.

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