TLDR:
1. The Port Authority approved $100 million to build two Terminal A gates by 2029 and $10 million to plan six more.
2. Terminal A handled approximately 18 million passengers in 2024, nearly 40% above its original annual passenger forecast.
3. The expansion fits into a redevelopment vision through 2065, including a new Terminal B, AirTrain replacement, and redesigned roadways and taxiways.
Newark Liberty International Airport’s Terminal A, which opened in 2023, has been such a hit with flyers that it already needs expansion. Terminal A was designed to serve about 13 million passengers annually. Approximately 18 million used it in 2024, nearly 40% more than originally projected. The terminal was designed with room to expand to the north and south, giving the Port Authority a way to add gates as it plans larger changes to Newark Liberty.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has authorized $110 million for two expansions of Terminal A. Two gates are slated to open in 2029; six more are in the planning stage. The projects address passenger demand that has already exceeded forecasts, while advancing a redevelopment plan that reaches across the airport.
What the $110 million covers
The Port Authority will use $100 million to design and build a 25,000-square-foot southern addition with two common-use gates, seating, restrooms and grab-and-go concessions. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027, with completion planned for 2029.
The remaining $10 million pays for planning the northern expansion, which is expected to add six common-use gates. That work will establish costs and construction phases ahead of a separate project authorization anticipated in 2027. The Port Authority projects that the northern gates will open in phases from 2030 to 2032; their construction is not funded by this $10 million approval.
A plan that reaches across the airport
A rendering of the new AirTrain planned for Newark Liberty International Airport. Rendering courtesy of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
The gate additions are part of the Port Authority’s EWR Vision Plan, a phased roadmap extending through 2065. It calls for a new Terminal B, improvements to Terminal C, redesigned roadways and taxiways, and better rail access. The aim is to address congestion throughout a trip through the airport, from reaching a terminal to moving an aircraft toward the runway.
Other pieces are already underway. The Port Authority broke ground in 2025 on a $3.5 billion replacement for the AirTrain, which connects the terminals, parking areas and airport rail station. It is also building a new entrance to that station for residents of Newark and Elizabeth. At the existing Terminal B, the agency authorized an initial $75 million in upgrades this year as part of a $200 million program intended to keep the aging facility working until its replacement opens, currently anticipated in the mid-2030s.
The long-term vision also proposes changes to aircraft circulation, deicing areas and terminal roadways. Those connections matter: more gates can increase capacity, but they cannot by themselves resolve delays on crowded taxiways or difficult access to the airport. The vision plan sets a direction for future projects; it is not a single, fully funded construction commitment. Learn more about the history of Newark Liberty International Airport and other airports in New Jersey here:
Sources:
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. (2026, September 23). Port Authority Board of Commissioners authorizes $110 million toward expansion of award-winning Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport.
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. (n.d.). A vision for a world-class EWR.
