The airport is self-sustaining. The new terminal will be paid for through a number of sources including airlines and tenants, federal funding, parking, concessions, and other non-airline revenue. The airport will sell general airport revenue bonds committing future revenues and the airport authority will apply for federal grants.

Download the funding information.

Columbus has been an epicenter for air travel since the beginning. Our current terminal opened in 1958, making it more than six decades old.  While there have been updates over the years, multiple assets and systems are nearing the end of their useful lives.

Our award-winning global architecture, design, and planning firm Gensler and local partner Moody Nolan are committed to building the most passenger-friendly facility possible. This airport will be the terminal of the future - maintaining the core of what our community loves about CMH while incorporating much-needed upgrades to keep up with the growth of Central Ohio and the millions of annual passengers we serve.

Development of a new terminal is planned in the current location of the Blue and Cell Phone Parking Lots, adjacent to the existing Rental Car Center.

Check out the latest property map to see how the airport will be configured in 2029.

The current terminal will stop operating and be demolished to make way for more overnight aircraft parking. Our airport’s ability to host aircraft overnight means planes can be onsite and ready to go for their first flight the next day.

Plans for the new terminal will include a new 5,000-space parking garage to ensure that accessibility needs can be met.

The current garage will remain open and available for airport parking even after the new terminal opens and the new garage is operational.

The new terminal at CMH will have 36 gates — 7 more than the 29 we operate with today — and will be able to accommodate 51% more passengers daily.

This planned terminal puts the finishing touch on more than two decades of planning and development at CMH, and we’re still thinking about the future. There is significant space to expand the terminal to the east and add new gates to support Central Ohio as needed.

No. The existing runways are able to meet the current and future needs of our passenger growth.

Today, three separate concourses and security checkpoints mean that passengers only have access to the amenities within their concourse. This is also limiting for businesses and vendors. By centralizing these concourses into one, streamlined checkpoint, we’ll create a more efficient security experience while being able to offer passengers holistic access to all amenities—regardless of their assigned gate. 

The groundbreaking will take place in early 2025 with an opening in early 2029. That means the new terminal will be completed about 100 years after CMH first opened in 1929.

Absolutely! The Columbus Regional Airport Authority (CRAA) supports policies that benefit our community. We want to ensure the design and construction of this transformational project will benefit the community that it will serve. This includes working with underrepresented businesses and supporting local workers, including union labor. CRAA has committed to:

• Target a 25% Disadvantaged Business Enterprise and Diversity Business Partner (DBE/DBP) participation goal, equating to approximately $400 million worth of contracts going to underrepresented, disadvantaged businesses including small, local, minority, women- and veteran-owned firms.

• Pay wages and benefits equal to the base wage and fringes established in the prevailing wage schedule to all contractors performing onsite work on the new terminal project, which will be enforced by project contracts.

From the materials we use—and reuse—during construction to the building management systems we implement after the new terminal is built, sustainability is at the core of our strategic vision for CMH. Every decision we make strives to optimize energy use, reduce water, and minimize waste. This project is aiming for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. Here are a few specifics:

• Electric charging stations in the parking garage

• The ability to charge ground service handling equipment

• Using daylight-efficient design materials, like smart glass

• LED fixtures throughout

• Sustainable building management systems, such as temperature control

• Installation of low-flow toilets to reduce water usage

• Reusing construction materials to minimize waste

• Choosing environmentally preferable materials

• Hydration stations for reusable water bottles

Because the new terminal will be built while the existing terminal is still operational, we anticipate continuous operations and normal flight schedules throughout construction. There may be disruptions along access roads to the terminal during construction and we will keep the public aware of those adjustments. Follow us on social media to stay up-to-date.

Whether you’re a curious traveler, a journalist, or a potential vendor, we’re here to answer your questions. Reach out to cmhnext@columbusairports.com and a representative will be in touch. 

The Columbus Regional Airport Authority named Hensel Phelps the Construction Manager at Risk to provide preconstruction and construction services for this project.  Visit their website, https://cmhterminal.henselphelps.com/, to learn more about bidding on this project.