PANYNJ Board of Commissioners approve first phase of $200M upgrades at Newark Liberty International Airport

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Board of Commissioners today authorized $75 million in near-term improvements at Terminal B at Newark Liberty International Airport, the first phase of a broader three-year, $200 million program included in the agency’s 2026-2035 Capital Plan to modernize and maintain the facility until the new Terminal B opens in the mid-2030s.

Opened in 1973, Terminal B was designed to serve approximately 6.8 million annual passengers. In 2025, it served about 11.5 million passengers. While long-term redevelopment advances under the EWR Vision Plan, the Port Authority is prioritizing near-term upgrades to improve comfort, reliability, accessibility, and the overall passenger experience. Work is set to begin this year.

“I’m pleased the Port Authority is investing in upgrades at Newark Airport to better meet the needs of New Jersey’s travelers,” said New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill. “These immediate improvements at Terminal B are an important first step toward improving the passenger experience, building our economy, and delivering better results for New Jersey.”

“These investments reflect what matters most: our customers,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “The Board's authorization of this funding is a commitment that the experience of traveling through Newark Liberty today is just as important as the terminal we're building for tomorrow. As these interim improvements are implemented, passengers should see and feel the difference: in the seats they wait in, the restrooms they use, and the systems that move them through the terminal.”

“Newark Liberty is undergoing a major transformation, but that cannot come at the expense of the passenger experience today,” said Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia. “This investment goes directly at the things customers encounter on every trip: the gate areas where they wait, the restrooms they rely on, the escalators and elevators that move them through the building. We're replacing what's worn, upgrading what's outdated, and making targeted improvements that will be immediately noticeable to anyone who travels through Terminal B.”

To address aging infrastructure across worn passenger areas and outdated systems, the Port Authority included $200 million in its 2026-2035 Capital Plan approved last year to modernize passenger spaces, replace aging equipment, upgrade customer-facing technology, and improve operational reliability across the terminal and its three satellites.

The $200 million three-year program will refresh gate areas with new seating, flooring, and lighting; replace escalators and elevators; improve ADA accessibility; renovate restrooms; upgrade passenger boarding bridges; improve HVAC systems and controls; and refurbish baggage handling systems. The initial $75 million phase, launching this year, prioritizes the terminal's most pressing needs: gate areas, restrooms, high-traffic circulation spaces, frontage and lighting, and the elevator, escalator, and boarding bridge systems that are most critical to daily operations.

A new Terminal B will serve as a centerpiece of Newark Liberty International Airport’s long-term transformation, replacing the aging existing facility with a world-class international gateway designed for the future of air travel. Building on the success of the award-winning Terminal A, the new terminal will deliver a modern, seamless passenger experience with expanded gate capacity, intuitive design, state-of-the-art technology, and elevated dining, retail, and public spaces. The redevelopment will strengthen Newark Liberty’s position as a premier global gateway for the New York and New Jersey region while improving operational efficiency and enhancing the reliability and resiliency of airport operations.

Redeveloping Newark Liberty International Airport

The Port Authority is in the midst of a complete redevelopment of Newark Liberty International Airport that began with the 2023 opening of Terminal A – the centerpiece of an airport-wide renaissance designed to establish the airport as a world-class gateway for the New Jersey and New York region. The airport’s redevelopment is outlined in the agency’s EWR Vision plan to accommodate future growth and deliver a world-class air travel experience from curb to gate. Major elements of the redevelopment of Newark Liberty include:

• Terminal development: A new world-class international terminal to replace the current Terminal B, while enhancing Terminal C to improve the customer experience. Both would complement the airport’s award-winning new Terminal A that opened in January 2023, which could also see further expansion. The spacious, streamlined terminals would allow the airport to accommodate continued growth in passenger volume, while leaving space for further expansion as needed.

• Airside development: Improving airport operations with a more efficient and resilient taxiway network, while accommodating the industry trend toward larger aircraft. The new network would increase parking capacity and flexibility for aircraft, while creating redundancies to minimize delays during irregular operations. It incorporates additional deicing facilities, allowing aircraft to push off from gates more quickly. It would also include the industry’s latest safety standards, increasing straight taxiway segments and minimizing the need for crossings.

• Landside development: Transformation of the airport’s vehicular and multi-modal access, prioritizing efficiency and convenience for all users. Alongside terminal buildings, frontages would be expanded to meet industry standards, providing ample space for passenger waiting, loading and unloading while minimizing walking distances. AirTrain access would be simplified, while connectivity and amenities for cyclists, pedestrians, and service vehicles would be improved. The roadway network would also be streamlined to reduce decision points and separate major flows with independent circulation for each terminal.

• AirTrain Newark: Replacing the outdated AirTrain Newark with a modern, 2.5-mile automated train system to accommodate a ridership forecasted to grow by 50 percent by 2040. A critical component of the airport, the system carries about 33,000 passengers and employees daily, or approximately 12 million passengers annually. It provides access to Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT’s Northeast Corridor lines via the Newark Liberty International Airport Train Station, and allows customers and employees to transfer between terminals, parking lots, and rental car facilities.

• Newark station access: The Port Authority is constructing a new entry point to Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT’s Newark Liberty International Airport Rail Station on the Northeast Corridor line, enabling easier and faster mass transit options for residents of Newark and Elizabeth to get to the airport and New York City. The new entryway will give local residents direct access to the Airport Train station, providing the community with the ability to take mass transit either to the airport via AirTrain Newark or to New York City via NJ TRANSIT. The project will also improve connections to PATH train service from Newark-Penn Station for access to Jersey City and Manhattan.