KEY POINTS
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Will Rogers International Airport unveiled a conceptual 25-year terminal expansion plan on Oct. 13, 2026, aimed at increasing annual passenger capacity from 4.6 million to 20 million.
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The Oklahoma City announcement identified a first phase with a five-level parking structure, terminal-road work and changes to existing parking facilities.
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The long-term concept would expand the terminal to 40 gates, but no total program cost, final designs or complete construction schedule was announced.
Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma City unveiled a conceptual 25-year terminal expansion plan on Oct. 13, 2026, to address terminal capacity, passenger processing and parking as regional air travel grows.
The plan, called “Cleared for Takeoff,” is a roadmap for future terminal expansion and improvement projects. It identifies a potential increase in annual passenger capacity from a baseline of 4.6 million to 20 million, with phases tied to passenger milestones, according to the airport’s announcement.
The airport did not announce a total cost, final designs or a complete construction schedule for the 25-year concept.
A rendering from the front of house renovations at the Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma City. Image: City of Oklahoma City
What Does Oklahoma City Airport’s 25-Year Expansion Plan Include
The announcement identifies a first phase tied to a passenger level of 6 million annually. It includes a potential five-level parking structure north of Garage C with 1,538 spaces.
Officials said the plans call for adding a weather-protective transportation canopy for the rideshare waiting area, demolition of Garage A and a temporary terminal curbside roadway. The roadway would support later structural changes to the terminal’s front entrance, officials added.
At full buildout, the airport improvements call for a wider terminal front with six curbside lanes and two separate curbs. The concourse would expand to 40 gates.
Through the end of August 2026, Airport construction starts fell 30.7% year-to-date versus the same period a year ago, ConstructConnect reported in the Construction Economy Snapshot.
What Airport Work Is Underway or Scheduled
Separate from the conceptual 25-year expansion plan, modernization work is already underway or scheduled. The airport said terminal flooring replacement began in September 2026 and is scheduled to continue through January 2028.
Rehabilitation of the intersection of Terminal Drive and Amelia Earhart Drive is scheduled to begin in mid-October 2026 and finish in February 2028.
Restroom renovations in the baggage claim and ticketing areas are scheduled to begin in late 2026 and continue through December 2027. The work is intended to bring the facilities above standard Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, according to the airport.
When Will Oklahoma City Airport Reach Full Buildout?
The 25-year plan is a roadmap for future design and construction rather than a final set of project documents. The airport said final designs, colors and materials remain subject to change as the design process continues. It has not announced when the full buildout would be constructed.
The plan’s later phases would expand terminal facilities as passenger demand increases. The airport’s stated long-term concept is capacity for 20 million annual passengers and a 40-gate concourse.
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