The basics:
- Port Authority approves $75M for Terminal B upgrades
- Improvements include gates, restrooms, elevators, escalators
- Terminal B served 11.5 million travelers in 2025
- Work supports broader Newark airport redevelopment plans
Newark Liberty International Airport‘s aging Terminal B will receive $75 million in immediate upgrades under a broader $200 million modernization program.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey approved the initiative May 21 as officials work toward a long-term replacement of the 53-year-old terminal. Authorized by the Port Authority Board of Commissioners, the initial investment comes as part of the agency’s 2026-2035 Capital Plan. It will fund improvements to gate areas, restrooms, elevators, escalators and other high-traffic passenger spaces.
The work will begin later this year. It comes as part of a three-year effort designed to maintain and modernize Terminal B until a new terminal opens in the mid-2030s. The projects are part of the broader EWR Vision Plan for redevelopment of Newark Liberty.
Now serving 11.5M
Terminal B opened in 1973. It was originally designed to handle about 6.8 million annual passengers. It served roughly 11.5 million travelers in 2025, according to the Port Authority.
“I’m pleased the Port Authority is investing in upgrades at Newark Airport to better meet the needs of New Jersey’s travelers,” said Gov. Mikie Sherrill. “These immediate improvements at Terminal B are an important first step toward improving the passenger experience, building our economy, and delivering better results for New Jersey.”
Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole said the agency is focused on improving the current passenger experience.
“The Board’s authorization of this funding is a commitment that the experience of traveling through Newark Liberty today is just as important as the terminal we’re building for tomorrow,” said O’Toole. “As these interim improvements are implemented, passengers should see and feel the difference: in the seats they wait in, the restrooms they use, and the systems that move them through the terminal.”
Taking notice
Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia said the upgrades target the parts of the terminal travelers encounter most often.
“This investment goes directly at the things customers encounter on every trip: the gate areas where they wait, the restrooms they rely on, the escalators and elevators that move them through the building,” said Garcia. “We’re replacing what’s worn, upgrading what’s outdated, and making targeted improvements that will be immediately noticeable to anyone who travels through Terminal B.”
This investment goes directly at the things customers encounter on every trip …
– Kathryn Garcia, executive director, Port Authority
The broader $200 million program includes plans to refresh:
- Gate seating, flooring and lighting
- Renovate restrooms
- Replace escalators and elevators
- Improve ADA accessibility
- Upgrade HVAC and baggage systems
- Modernize passenger boarding bridges throughout the terminal and its satellite concourses
Grounded
Spirit Airlines previously operated out of Newark airport’s Terminal B, until it ceased operations earlier this month. Find out more here.
The short-term work comes as the Port Authority continues to plan for a new Terminal B as part of a sweeping redevelopment of Newark Liberty. In recent years, the airport previously opened its award-winning Terminal A. The project is a centerpiece of the airport’s ongoing overhaul.
The larger EWR Vision Plan also includes:
- Enhancements to Terminal C
- Expanded taxiways and aircraft infrastructure
- Redesigned roadways and terminal access
Additionally, it will replace the aging AirTrain Newark system with a modern, automated train connecting terminals, parking areas a well as rail service.
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