JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Big changes are underway for Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) and Cecil Airport.
On Wednesday, Jacksonville Aviation Authority (JAA) board members outlined their ambitions for the projects.
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The new concourse at JAX will feature three new levels with approximately 165,000 square feet and Action News Jax got an inside look.
On top of that, JAA discussed resiliency efforts at JAX and upgrading Cecil Airport’s role in aviation and aerospace.
Complete with a cinematic slideshow score, JAA board members outlined Jax Beyond, the ambitious multi-million dollar project of adding Concourse B to JAX.
“We expect to have a certificate of occupancy by the end of the year with American Airlines, moving into five of the six gates sometimes to work at the end of January 2027,″ Dr. Sol Brotman, treasurer for JAA’s Board of Directors, said.
Via a virtual tour of the airport, JAA outlined JAX’s upcoming new amenities such as new lounges like Club Jax and Delta Sky Club, six new gates, and new food options like Chick-fil-A and V Pizza.
JAA is also undertaking significant resilience improvements at both JAX and Cecil Airport.
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“Everything that we can do to reduce our electric bill, but also make us able to operate because if a hurricanes or whatever reason we want to be able to operate the airport,” David Jones, director of engineering and facilities at JAX.
Jones said they’ll be able to operate the entire Concourse B off of a single generator. The board also discussed backup power sources, courtesy of future substations.
“The buildout … is continuing on time and … on budget,” Brotman said.
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The budget: JAA said $243 million for the concourse itself, with the entire airport renovations totaling over $300 million.
Cecil Airport will also see upgrades. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a new law allowing JAA to grow the airport into a regional, state, and national aerospace hub.
The project is expected to be completed by December with American Airlines, which will occupy most of the concourse set to start operations by January 15, 2027.
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