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December 12, 2023
APPLETON – According to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) data, the Appleton International Airport (ATW) is the fastest-growing airport in Wisconsin, ranking third statewide in passenger arrivals/departures behind only Milwaukee and Madison.
In a continued effort to support the increased traffic the airport is seeing, ATW is embarking on a $66 million, 47,000-square-foot expansion of its main concourse – a project Airport Director Abe Weber said will more than double its size of the airport.
“The (idea of expanding) the main concourse goes back to 2018 – that’s when we started to see significant growth,” he said. “We saw double-digit growth in both 2016 and 2017, but then in ’18, we took a large leap with 20% growth. That’s when we said, ‘wow, we better start getting some planning together.’”
Weber said ATW is on pace for a record year in passenger arrivals and departures, with almost 950,000 travelers expected to pass through the airport’s gates.
“In 2018, we met with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Bureau of Aeronautics, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) in Chicago and said to them, ‘we need to add additional gates in Appleton – we’re growing.’ They helped us with the planning, and then we were able to get into design in 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic slowed the planning process down – we were unsure of things, but during that time, we added routes. I think we came out of COVID much stronger as an airport.”
When the design process began in 2021, Weber said ATW held several community listening sessions.
“We reached out to different individuals and community groups and wanted to hear from them about what they wanted in an airport,” he said. “We wanted to make this airport something the community could be proud of while being practical and welcoming to every person.”
Abe Weber
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Weber said when thinking about design, ATW looked at removing “waste” in the process of traveling.
“It’s much like manufacturing companies using ‘the lean process,’” he said. “What does parking look like, what does that walk from the parking lot to the terminal look like and what about ticketing and the check-in process? You want to make the process as efficient as possible. This expansion will make it easier from curb to gate.”
As another indicator of ATW’s growth, Weber said since 2016, the airport has added nine nonstop destinations.
“The growth has been continuous since 2016,” he said. “We’re looking at this expansion phase to be completed by the end of 2025.”
Expansion highlights
Weber said the first phase – which officially broke ground on the project earlier this month – of the terminal expansion will include the following improvements:
The gate area will be expanded, bringing the total number of gates to 10, up from 8.There will be a connector between the existing gates and new gates, plus expanded areas for passenger boarding and a variety of seating options.There will be a Biergarten and an additional bar/restaurant in the gate area for ticketed passengers.Ramps will be used throughout to ensure easy access for all people regardless of abilities.Expanded restroom facilities, a sensory support room, a quiet room and a service animal relief area will be added.
“(We’ll be able to close) part of the restrooms down to clean while keeping the other half open, as well as having gender-neutral bathrooms,” Weber said. “It will also give parents traveling with children and maybe the elderly who might be using a wheelchair a comfortable restroom to use. There’s been a lot of thought that has gone into it.”
Expanded restroom facilities, a sensory support room, a quiet room and a service animal relief area are also part of the expansion plans. Submitted Rendering
Outagamie County Executive Thomas Nelson said the infrastructure investments will make it even easier for travelers from across Wisconsin to plan vacation or business travel through Appleton.
“The Appleton airport is an economic engine that is fueling growth in Northeast Wisconsin,” he said. “(The airport) supports a minimum of 3,000 jobs – directly and indirectly – in Outagamie County and the region. When we last did an economic impact statement (of the airport), it was about $600 million.”
Weber said future construction phases will expand ticketing and baggage claim areas, refresh existing concourse areas and pay special attention to sustainability efforts.
“We do know there are other needs at ATW,” he said. “Future expansion/plans will depend on future funding – funding that isn’t currently secured. Funding for (this current) expansion came from a combination of state, federal and regional grants and budgeted airport dollars.”
More travelers = more flights
Weber said the growth ATW – which is served by American, Delta and United and the only Wisconsin airport served by Allegiant Airlines – has shown is due to its partnership with itself and the airlines.
“It’s communicating the needs of our community and where they want to travel to,” he said. “Instead of having to drive to an airport two or three hours away, people can fly right out of ATW.”
The four carriers at ATW offer non-stop services to 17 locations, including:
NewarkPortlandPhoenix/MesaNashvilleLas VegasSavannah/Hilton HeadFlights to Florida include Fort Lauderdale/Miami, Orlando/Daytona Beach, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Sarasota/Bradenton, Fort Myers/Punta GordaAtlantaCharlotteChicagoMinneapolis/St. PaulDetroitDenver
A recent addition to Allegiant’s non-stop options, Weber said, is Newark.
“It’s exciting for us,” he said. “It’s the first time Northeast Wisconsin has had a non-stop flight to the New York City Metropolitan Area. We heard the first initial bookings were strong from Allegiant – that’s great news. It gives leisure travelers the chance to see ‘The Big Apple,’ and we also think business travelers might take advantage of the non-stop to that area.”
Included in the Appleton International Airport’s $66 million, 47,000-square-foot expansion is a Biergarten and an additional bar/restaurant in the gate area for ticketed passengers. Submitted Rendering
Non-stop to Portland, Weber said, “was a very popular route” when added last year by Allegiant.
“Originally, (last year’s) flights (to Portland) were supposed to begin June 15 and end Aug. 15, but Allegiant extended that into September,” he said. “Now, Allegiant is beginning that Portland flight (in 2024) a month earlier in May. We’re thankful for the community’s support.”
Weber said looking at the numbers (flight bookings) for quarter one of 2024, “I like what I see.”
“I see some growth compared to quarter one of 2023,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll get over that one-million mark of travelers next year.”
2025 NFL Draft
With the Green Bay Packers being awarded the 2025 NFL Draft from April 24-26, the statewide economic impact is expected to be north of $90 million.
Included in that economic figure, Weber said, will be “tremendous opportunities for Wisconsin airports.”
“We haven’t started planning, per se, for the draft yet, but we’ve had some preliminary discussions internally with our staff and had talks with the airlines about the opportunity to add additional seats in and around the draft,” he said.
