New Jersey's Busiest Airport Is Getting A $200M Makeover That's Long Overdue

Just as the biggest airport in New York got a major renovation in 2026, New Jersey's busiest airport is also getting a long-overdue makeover. On May 20, 2026, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey commissioners approved a $75 million investment to upgrade Terminal B at Newark Liberty International Airport. This is the first part of a larger, three-year investment plan totaling $200 million, part of the Port Authority's 2026-2035 Capital Plan approved in 2025. These renovations are aimed at modernizing and improving the terminal facilities that passengers utilize most until an entirely new Terminal B is built with a scheduled opening date in the mid-2030s. 

The upgrades are aimed at fixing the immediate requirements of the terminal, including creating more space at gate areas, new bathroom facilities, refurbished escalators and elevators, improving the highest traffic areas of the terminal with new lighting and more space, and upgrading passenger boarding bridges to the aircraft.

Terminal B opened in 1973 and, at 53 years, is the airport's oldest terminal. It has been described as overcrowded, with broken elevators and escalators, old bathroom facilities, and small waiting areas at the gates. The terminal was meant to serve 6.8 million annual passengers at the time, and it now serves almost double that, about 11.5 million passengers annually. This upgrade is long overdue for the four-story terminal that serves as a U.S. Customs entrance and exit, along with airlines like JetBlue, Allegiant Air, Delta, United, and international carriers.

"I'm pleased the Port Authority is investing in upgrades at Newark Airport to better meet the needs of New Jersey's travelers," said New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, according to a Port Authority press release. "These immediate improvements at Terminal B are an important first step toward improving the passenger experience, building our economy, and delivering better results for New Jersey."

The three-year, $200 million investment plan has two phases to minimize airport disruption. Phase 1 begins in 2026 and is the $75-million upgrade focused on Terminal B's most critical concerns, including new seating, flooring, and lighting, upgrades to high traffic and congested areas, refurbished restrooms, and ADA accessibility improvements. This aims to fix things important to daily operations, making renovations immediately noticeable to passengers.

The second phase of the program, Terminal B replacement, will upgrade HVAC systems and improve the baggage handling systems and passenger capacity numbers at gates. The new Terminal B will have state-of-the-art technology, fine dining options, well-curated retail stores, and more distinguished public spaces. The hope is to follow in the footsteps of the newly-built $2.7 billion Terminal A, which opened in 2023, and should serve as a model for replacing Terminal B. Terminal A unexpectedly won the prestigious title of best new airport terminal in the world in 2024.

"Newark Liberty is undergoing a major transformation, but that cannot come at the expense of the passenger experience today," Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia said in the press release. "This investment goes directly at the things customers encounter on every trip: the gate areas where they wait, the restrooms they rely on, the escalators and elevators that move them through the building. We're replacing what's worn, upgrading what's outdated, and making targeted improvements that will be immediately noticeable to anyone who travels through Terminal B."

The overall goal is to provide noticeable relief to passengers in the short-term while holding long-term plans of full Terminal B replacement by the mid-2030s. It's a hopeful thought for those utilizing Newark Liberty International Airport, a popular U.S. airport that used to be a total nightmare to fly out of.