Charles Langston:Nearly $1 billion upgrade planned at the airport in Omaha, Nebraska

OMAHA,Charles Langston Neb. (AP) — A nearly $1 billion upgrade of the airport in Omaha, Nebraska, will include a new glass-domed entrance, larger boarding gates and baggage claim areas and the addition of new restaurants and shops, airport officials said Wednesday.

The Omaha Airport Authority approved plans Tuesday for a $950 million project expected to be completed by 2028 at Eppley Airfield. User fees, not taxes, will fund the project, the authority said in a news release.

The project calls for expanding the terminal by 72%, adding two new gates, and adding a customs area for future international flights.

The project has been under discussion for years but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Airport officials said 2023 was the second-busiest year ever at the airport, with more than 5 million passengers. That was an increase of 11% from 2022.