Recently, a big announcement was made about the upcoming LaGuardia airport redevelopment. The upgrade has been a long time wish by many, and even more so by the many commuters that travel through the airport for domestic and/or business trips.
Probably one of the most visited cities in the world, New York has frequently been in the news for its continuous redevelopments and city additions. Whether you visit the city for its many attractions, or perhaps even for a layover during a longer flight, the city is always changing for the better. Recently, a big announcement was made about the upcoming LaGuardia airport redevelopment. The upgrade has been a long time wish by many, and even more so by the many commuters that travel through the airport for domestic and/or business trips.
The smallest, and oldest of New York’s three airports, the LaGuardia project has been in the talks for quite a while. A huge redevelopment is on the horizon, and big names have come up for who’s investing in the plan. One of the biggest is perhaps ex-NBA star Magic Johnson. Along with his Magic Johnson Enterprises, the former Los Angeles Lakers star has stated that they would support the LaGuardia renovation and that they plan on managing the B terminal of the airport for the next 35 years. A project that is being backed also by other investors and one of the main players – with a $3.4 billion investment – is Delta Airlines. Thanks to this incredible investment, the airline will have exclusive management of one of the airport’s areas, guaranteeing it the role of LaGuardia’s first, and main airline.
If you ask New Yorkers about the airport, they will most likely start listing all of the many problems the airport is renown for. The structure is dated, hallways narrow, lacking in general services, dim lighting, too few and far apart waiting rooms, and frequently crowded boarding situations at the gates. Safe to say that LaGuardia isn’t exactly everybody's favorite airport. The inauguration is set for 2026, with some areas possibly already in 2019.
However, that is all about to change. The $8 billion project is set to revolutionize LaGuardia and make it into a futuristic airport. The terminals will all be under the same roof, whereas today passengers need to walk quite a bit between them to catch their flights. The project, that could also easily reach $12 billion, is also set to enlarge the airplane’s taxing area, which today frequently causes delay between flights. Other additions also include a new road entry, new taxi and car rental spaces, and a larger parking area.
However, perhaps an even more important part of the redevelopment is the new train that will connect the airport to the city’s subway system. The difficulty in reaching the airport (now mainly by bus) has been a big limit. With the initiative of constructing an AirTrain, like the ones JFK and Newark already have, getting back and forth between the airport and the city (Manhattan is only 13 kilometers away) will greatly improve LaGuardia’s general reputation.
Free-spirited world traveler. Loves nature and the environment. When she’s not hiding behind her computer working on a new editorial project, you will probably find her browsing museums or rescuing stray cats.
