Signal of the week · Research note · 23 Oct 2026

375 FAA airport grants worth $2.93 billion started in September 2026, as Washington asks for $10 billion more

Public grant records in Svatantra.ai's signal database show 375 Federal Aviation Administration airport grants with a start date between 1 and 24 September 2026, totaling $2,926,069,899 as printed, to 234 recipients in 46 states and three other jurisdictions. 145 of them, $1.23 billion, came from the two airport programs created by the 2021 infrastructure law, for which fiscal 2026 is the final funded year. On 22 September 2026 Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he will ask Congress for $30 billion, $10 billion of it for airports. This note sets out the counts, five named records, the public sources, and what the data does not show.

By Jayprakash Mistry, Founder, Svatantra.ai

Every number, and where it comes from

The first five figures in the note.

The full table has 24 rows. Each figure is as published on the date shown, with its denominator.

Figure	What it measures	Source
375	FAA airport grant records with a start date between 1 September and 15 October 2026 (all fall between 1 and 24 September); 375 distinct award records and source URLs	Svatantra.ai signal database, count at 16 Oct 2026
$2,926,069,899	Sum of the 375 obligations as printed on the records. Author's arithmetic. Rounded to $2.93 billion on the slides	Derived from Svatantra.ai signal database, count at 16 Oct 2026
234	Distinct recipients by unique entity identifier	Svatantra.ai signal database, count at 16 Oct 2026
49 and 46	Distinct state codes on the records, and the number that are states (the other three are the US Virgin Islands, Palau and Micronesia). Author's arithmetic for the 46	Svatantra.ai signal database, count at 16 Oct 2026
229, $1,697,566,560	Grants under assistance listing 20.116, Airport Improvement Program, and their sum as printed (sum is author's arithmetic)	Svatantra.ai signal database, count at 16 Oct 2026

19 more figures in the PDF, each with its source.

Sources

12 primary releases.

USAspending.gov, CITY OF AUSTIN AVIATION DEPARTMENT, award ASST_NON_34803590862026_069 (Start and signed 17 September 2026)
Verbatim description opening: "PURPOSE: CONSTRUCT TERMINAL. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED/EXPECTED OUTCOMES:" followed by a new 860,810 square foot terminal, phase 2, construction. Total obligation $90,000,000. CFDA 20.118 Airport Terminal Program. Period of performance 2026-09-17 to 2030-09-16. Place of performance TX. Awarding sub-agency Federal Aviation Administration.
usaspending.gov
USAspending.gov, CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, award ASST_NON_30800861482026_069 (Start and signed 10 September 2026)
Verbatim description opening: "PURPOSE: CONSTRUCT APRON; EXTEND/EXPAND TAXIWAY. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED/EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THIS PROJECT CONSTRUCTS A NEW" 20,650 square yard apron and a 6,000 foot extension of Taxiway L. Total obligation $69,620,908. CFDA 20.117 Airport Infrastructure Grants. Period of performance 2026-09-10 to 2030-09-09. Place of performance CO.
usaspending.gov
USAspending.gov, CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, award ASST_NON_34801921342026_069 (Start and signed 24 September 2026)
Verbatim description opening: "PURPOSE: RECONSTRUCT AIRFIELD DRAINAGE/EROSION CONTROL. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED/EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THIS PROJECT" replaces airfield drainage lines, part of phase 2. Total obligation $40,250,959. CFDA 20.116 Airport Improvement Program. Period of performance 2026-09-24 to 2030-09-21. Place of performance TX.
usaspending.gov
USAspending.gov, CITY OF ATLANTA DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION, award ASST_NON_31300081422026_069 (Start and signed 14 September 2026)
Verbatim description opening: "PURPOSE: RECONSTRUCT RUNWAY. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED/EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THIS PROJECT RECONSTRUCTS 11,600 FEET OF EXISTING" Runway 9L/27R, phase 1 covering 3,700 feet. Total obligation $30,666,909. CFDA 20.116 Airport Improvement Program. Period of performance 2026-09-14 to 2030-09-13. Place of performance GA.
usaspending.gov
USAspending.gov, CITY OF MANKATO, award ASST_NON_32700550422026_069 (Start and signed 20 September 2026)
Verbatim description opening: "PURPOSE: CONSTRUCT NEW FEDERAL CONTRACT TOWER. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED/EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THIS PROJECT CONSTRUCTS A NEW" sponsor-owned FAA contract tower. Total obligation $11,511,971. CFDA 20.116 Airport Improvement Program. Period of performance 2026-09-20 to 2030-09-19. Place of performance MN.
usaspending.gov
AOPA, Duffy unveils plan for additional ATC modernization funding (24 September 2026)
"the $30 billion would be split evenly into three categories with each receiving $10 billion." Airports are one category; the others are software and communications infrastructure, and control towers. "The $30 billion plan follows the $12.5 billion down payment for the first phase of work." Announced 22 September 2026 at an aviation event in Washington, D.C.
aopa.org
Reuters via Airways Magazine, Duffy Plans to Seek Another US$30bn for ATC, Airports (23 September 2026)
"We are going to ask Congress for $30 billion," Duffy said in a Washington speech. "another US$10bn would go toward airport improvements". Congress "appropriated US$12.5bn for the modernization initiative in July 2025." Cites a Reuters report of 22 September.
airwaysmag.com
Federal Aviation Administration, Trump's Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Announces $84.4 Million in Airport Improvements (25 September 2026)
"is investing $84.4 million in Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants in Texas, North Carolina, and Wyoming airports." San Antonio International Airport $40.9 million for "airfield drainage reconstruction and erosion control"; Abilene Regional $17.5 million, terminal expansion; Jackson Hole $16.6 million, taxiway rehabilitation; Wilmington International $3 million, apron.
faa.gov
Federal Aviation Administration, Trump's Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Delivers $1.1 Billion to Upgrade Airports (14 September 2026)
"The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is delivering 280 grants to airports in 46 states and three territories". "$30.7 million to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for runway reconstruction." "$11.5 million to Mankato Regional Airport in Minnesota for a new contract tower."
faa.gov
American Association of Airport Executives, FAA Releases FY26 Allocations for Airport Infrastructure Grant Program (27 October 2025)
"The $2.89 billion in formula allocations for FY26 represents the final year of AIG funding." The program "provides $15 billion for airport infrastructure upgrades over five years." On the FY23 allocations, which expire this year, an airport "must ensure its share of allocations is under grant by the end of FY26, or September 30, 2026."
aaae.org
American Association of Airport Executives, FAA Releases List of $970 Million in FY26 Airport Terminal Program Grants (18 May 2026)
"The agency intends to fund 133 projects at 129 airports." "With the announcement today, all $5 billion has now been awarded to airports for terminal projects." 588 applications requested $7.1 billion. FY26 is described as the program's final year.
aaae.org
Svatantra.ai, Signal database (16 October 2026)
Counted: FAA-sub-agency grants in the public federal infrastructure grant feed with a start date between 1 September and 15 October 2026. 375 records, 375 distinct award identifiers, 234 distinct recipient identifiers, 49 state codes. Sums and shares are our arithmetic. Counts at 16 October 2026.
svatantra.ai