Airport owners are increasingly upgrading existing facilities while maintaining daily passenger and airline operations, creating a construction environment where sequencing and operational coordination are as important as the physical work. Swinerton is highlighting its aviation construction activities as airports pursue terminal modernization, baggage-system improvements, passenger amenities and other infrastructure upgrades.
Airport construction increasingly involves modifications to facilities that cannot simply be taken offline. At Palm Springs International Airport, Swinerton replaced and expanded the outbound baggage handling system through phased work designed to maintain baggage and passenger movement during construction.
A separate program at McKinney National Airport near Dallas combines a new terminal with hangars, airfield paving and landside improvements. The scope demonstrates how airport capital programs can combine multiple construction packages that must be coordinated around airport operations.
At Los Angeles International Airport, Swinerton completed work on the Air France Midfield Satellite Concourse Lounge after coordinating permitting, access and construction sequencing with airport stakeholders. Other airport work has involved baggage handling, ticketing, commercial kitchens and mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.
Maintaining operations is a central consideration for airport contractors. Construction activities may need to be scheduled around passenger peaks, flight schedules, security requirements and restricted access.
Swinerton has performed modernization and infrastructure work at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California, while the airport remained operational. The company's airport portfolio also includes escalator replacement work at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where construction activities were coordinated around airport schedules.
At Monterey Regional Airport, Swinerton and Timberlab are supporting the managing design-build team on the replacement passenger terminal. The work includes mass timber fabrication and installation as part of a project intended to bring the facility into compliance with modern Federal Aviation Administration requirements.
For contractors, these projects require detailed logistics planning, coordination with airport personnel and careful control of work windows. Construction sequencing must account for the operational consequences of taking gates, passenger areas, baggage systems or building infrastructure out of service.
Swinerton's aviation work extends across multiple airline and airport programs. The company reports nearly 200 projects involving Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines.
The portfolio includes terminal improvements, passenger lounges, baggage infrastructure, hangars and other aviation facilities. At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Swinerton is involved in the Concourse B expansion, which is being delivered through multiple phases within an operating airport environment.
Airport investment is also increasingly focused on upgrading existing assets rather than relying solely on new terminal construction. Industry data cited by Swinerton indicates that modernization, renovation and system upgrades are significant components of the 2026 airport construction pipeline.
The broader market is also seeing increased use of collaborative delivery approaches, prefabrication and modular construction to reduce construction duration and limit operational disruption. Swinerton has previously reported using phased work and overnight construction on airport projects to maintain facility operations.
Airport modernization presents a distinct set of requirements for owners and contractors because construction must often occur without interrupting passenger processing, airline operations or critical building systems.
For owners, project sequencing, stakeholder coordination and operational continuity can become major procurement and delivery considerations. For contractors and specialty trades, airport work can require experience with restricted access, phased construction, security procedures and tightly controlled work windows.
The continued emphasis on modernization means construction opportunities are not limited to new terminals. Baggage systems, passenger processing areas, lounges, airfield infrastructure, building systems and other existing assets are also becoming important components of airport capital programs.
Source: Swinerton.
