DOT AND FAA SEEK ADDITIONAL $20 BILLION FOR AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL OVERHAUL
August 23, 2026
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In recent weeks, DOT and FAA leadership are advocating for U.S. lawmakers to appropriate an additional $20 billion to continue modernizing air traffic control systems at major U.S. airports nationwide. While Transportation Secretary Duffy obtained some $12.5 billion in funding last year via the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, DOT and FAA are urging key House and Senate lawmakers to allocate additional funding to improve aging systems at major airports, including at Los Angeles International Airport, Washington Reagan National Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, among others. In addition to keeping passengers safe while flying through the skies, Transportation Secretary Duffy and FAA Administrator Bedford view the additional $20 billion in funding as critical to reducing congestion around major airports and mitigating chronic flight delays. A recent letter signed by Boeing, Airbus, Airlines for America, the U.S. Travel Association, and the Air Line Pilots Association echoed much of the same message and called on federal lawmakers to approve additional funding in the spirit of bipartisanship given that airport congestion, flight delays, and staffing shortages at air traffic control towers negatively impact millions of travelers regardless of political affiliation. While federal lawmakers ponder whether to allocate additional monies, DOT and FAA leaders continue to make progress on the so-called Brand-New Air Traffic Control System with plans to complete the project by the end of 2028.
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