Officials say 2019 was best year on record for Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Officials at the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport said they are celebrating their best year on record, and next year promises to be even better for the airport.

The busiest day in airport history was the day after The Kentucky Derby, May 5, 2019.

Executive Director Dan Mann said more than $1 billion will be invested into the airport in the next 15 years.

UPS plans to spend $750 million on improvements, while the airport expects to spend $400 million on its own series of projects.

UPS will build a $220 million, 262,000-square-foot hangar for maintenance on the company’s growing fleet of airplanes that is scheduled to open in 2022.

UPS also plans ramp and taxiway improvements, renovated office buildings, training facility expansions and new operations offices at Worldport, its Louisville hub.

The $400 million dollar Capital Improvement Program will include changes to parking and rental car areas. There will also be upgrades to the terminal, the cargo area, safety check points and mechanical operations.

"Everything related to the rental cars and the parking will happen this summer," Mann said. "And then we will start moving to the walkways, escalators, the tunnel renovation, some of the facade work in the next 18 months. And while that's happening, we will be doing some of the mechanical stuff."

The airport will become an International Port of Entry in the next three to five years.

"All the airlines said the day you have an international port of entry, you will have international service," Mann said.

The project will take five to seven years to complete.

The airport is also working on adding more nonstop flights to places like Boston, Toronto and Salt Lake City. And eventually, officials hope to add Seattle and San Francisco.

"Our top priority is Boston service," Mann said.

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