Milwaukee airport launches $95 million terminal expansion

A major construction project at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport is ready to take off.

Milwaukee County and airport officials on Tuesday announced the start of the $95.2 million project to tear down former Concourse E and build a new terminal with more domestic and international passenger and plane capacity. The project is expected to be completed in 2027.

The project follows years of delays and mounting costs; originally the county wanted to redevelop the terminal in 2020 but hit a wall during the COVID-19 pandemic. Project planners budgeted for around $55 million in 2019, but construction costs climbed in the tens of millions of dollars since. A bid for federal funding ensured the project made it over the line, county officials said.

Madison-based J.H. Findorff & Son is the general contractor for the terminal project and Alliiance is the architect of record.

“MKE Airport is the front door for visitors from around the world to experience all the great things that Wisconsin has to offer,” said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley in a statement. “This project will set the stage for expanded international connections and economic opportunity for our region. That means more options for Milwaukee-based travelers, more people visiting the Milwaukee region and more opportunities for Wisconsin’s business community to grow. And, best of all, this project will not use a single property tax dollar.”

The project is funded through airport revenue, bonding and federal support, including $13.5 million in federal funding secured by the county, officials said. The redevelopment will create hundreds of construction jobs in the Milwaukee area and will support opportunities for additional airline service, officials added.

The project calls for a replacement of the international arrivals terminal which is separated from the main terminal. There will be two new jet bridges that will process up to 400 arriving passengers each hour, which is nearly triple the current capacity of 140.

“The new Concourse E will improve efficiency for international operations, since airlines will handle international and domestic arrivals and departures from the same gate, rather than towing aircraft from the international arrivals terminal to the main terminal,” said Milwaukee County Airport Director Brian Dranzik. “The new concourse will also be environmentally friendly, have a modern U.S. Customs facility, and bring MKE’s passenger experience to an even higher level.”