McAllen International Airport McAllen

MCALLEN, TX — Driven by a 20% surge in passenger traffic, the McAllen City Commission is moving to fast-track a massive terminal expansion at McAllen International Airport. In a detailed workshop held Monday, February 23, Airport Director Jeremy Santoscoy presented a "vision vs. reality" roadmap that could transform the regional travel hub into a 10-gate facility.rnrnThe 10-Gate AmbitionrnThe primary point of contention is the final gate count. While the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) currently only justifies funding for 8 gates based on present forecasting, city commissioners are pushing for the full 10-gate master plan.rnrn"I think all of us here at the table would find it more prudent to do the full 10," said Commissioner Aguirre, citing concerns that building smaller now would lead to "exorbitant" construction costs in the next decade. Santoscoy confirmed that the city is aggressively scouting discretionary grants and alternative funding to bridge the gap, ensuring the airport has the capacity to recruit new airlines and handle larger crowds.rnrnThe expansion serves as a necessary replacement for infrastructure that hasn't seen a major update since the terminal was built in 1993. The "guts" of the airport are slated for a total redesign:rnrnReplacing three aging air handlers with high-capacity 200-ton units and shifting to new 2025-standard refrigerants.rnrnA new 6-inch conduit will connect the airport to a second electrical substation on 23rd Street, providing the redundancy needed to prevent total terminal blackouts.rnrnCrews will reroute storm and wastewater lines to expand the apron, a move necessitated by the fact that the airport will soon have seven aircraft remaining overnight with only six gates currently available.rnrnExpanded Ticketing & Check-in: Doubling the current ticket counter capacity to reduce morning rush-hour lines.rnrnBaggage Claim Improvements: A total expansion of the baggage claim area, including modernized luggage carousels.rnrnRestroom Modernization: The plan adds significant restroom capacity, addressing the current issue where the terminal only has one public restroom pre-security and one post-security.rnrnNew Concessions: The "central expansion" will move the current coffee shop and retail area to allow for a larger, more efficient TSA checkpoint, making way for new food and beverage options in the new concourse.rnrnParking Relief on the HorizonrnAddressing a major pain point for travelers, the city has officially awarded a contract for a 200-space parking lot at the northeast corner of Wichita and Bicentennial. Construction is already underway, with a target completion date set for six months from now. The new lot is expected to include shuttle services to keep the remote parking as convenient as the main terminal.