Sky Harbor gets another $35M in federal funding for airport infrastructure upgrades

PHOENIX – Arizona’s largest airport is getting another big federal grant for infrastructure upgrades, officials announced Wednesday.

Four months after receiving $36 million via the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure law, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport was awarded an additional $35 million for terminal improvements.

All $71 million will go toward replacing outdated equipment at the airport’s 30-year-old Central Utility Plant, the heart of the Terminal 4 cooling system.

Sky Harbor, which is owned by the city of Phoenix, will spend the money on new chillers, condensing water pumps, central plant piping, heat exchangers and cooling towers.

How did Sky Harbor get federal infrastructure funding?

Both grants came from the Airport Terminal Program, which was funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Independent Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema was a lead negotiator for the 2021 legislation.

“I’m proud to deliver $35 million from our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to improve safety, efficiency and accessibility at Phoenix Sky Harbor — allowing Arizonans to safely travel with ease and peace of mind,” Sinema said in a press release.

The Airport Terminal Program was created to award $1 billion in grants annually from 2022 to 2026 for terminal infrastructure upgrades. The Phoenix grant announced Wednesday comes from the 2025 allotment.

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