Fayetteville Regional Airport (FAY) received two grants in August to support the development and construction of an international arrivals facility.  

These grants are allotted from both entities’ Airport Improvement Program (AIP), a grant program for public agencies to aid in development and progress for public-use airports. FAY has recently seen much expansion with Phase 3 of renovations wrapping up this coming Fall.  

A $5 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which was supported by Congressman David Rouzer, (R - NC House Dist. 7) was received on Aug. 26, and $2.3

million from the North Carolina Department of Transportation Division of Aviation was received on Aug. 15. Each grant will go directly into constructing an International Arrivals facility, estimated to break ground in Winter of 2026.  

The International Arrivals Facility will initially be used for military aircraft returning from overseas; however, the goal of this terminal is to create an entry point for international commercial, and provide an on-airport military flight department supporting US Army Reserve Command and US Army Forces Command, as well as regular military international travel via military and charter aircraft. 

"The new international arrivals facility at Fayetteville Regional Airport will enhance the airport's capabilities for military aircraft and pave the way for international commercial travel to support our military families and the local economy,” Congressman Rouzer said in a press release. "It is exciting to see this vision come to fruition in support of the broader Fayetteville community." 

The new building will be approximately 15,000 square-feet to accommodate a maximum hourly passenger count of 200 individuals utilizing the latest “Baggage First” layout as defined by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.  

"Congressman Rouzer’s commitment to our community has been instrumental in securing this vital funding,” said City Manager Douglas J. Hewett in a press release. “His understanding of the needs of Fayetteville residents will play a crucial role in enhancing our airport’s infrastructure, further supporting both military readiness and our local economy by increasing the already substantial economic impact the airport provides." 

The $2.3 million awarded by the NCDOT Division of Aviation is an automatic allocation based on FAY’s economic impact of $813 million.   

With the expansion of an additional terminal, FAY continues to build on the $60 million in capital improvements.  

“FAY is in a time of growth and progress,” said Interim Airport Director Deontae Watson in a press release. “We are excited to continue elevating FAY to better service our community and expand our horizons for the future.” 

On Tuesday, Sept. 5, the Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President, also the Director for Intergovernmental Affairs for the White House Tom Perez visited Fayetteville to tour two federal funded projects. Perez visited the Fayetteville Day Resource Center along with the upgraded Fayetteville Regional Airport. This tour allowed him to see first hand how the federally funded upgrades were able enhance the airport's facilities and services to accommodate growing passenger demand, improve security and increase Fayetteville’s connectivity to key destinations.

“You've been doing great work here. Thriving communities have thriving airports, and we're proud to be part of this $60 million investment. I am confident that as we continue to come back here, we're going to continue to see growth. When businesses are looking where to go, they're looking at airports, and they're looking not only at what the airport looks like now, and there's been tremendous improvement, but they're trying to do what Wayne Gretzky talks about, you skate to where the puck is going, not where the puck is, and you are moving in that direction,” shared Perez. “You understand that Fayetteville has become a regional economic center of North Carolina. We want people flying directly into Fayetteville, and that's why we were proud to make sure that we were a partner in these efforts.” 

Completed in December 2022, the upgrades included extending Concourse B, improving boarding safety and enhancing employee working conditions, among other infrastructure developments.