The Daily Dig
Will Rogers International Airport (OKC) unveiled “Cleared for Takeoff” at a public open house on October 13, 2026. The plan spans 25 years and aims to grow annual traffic from 4.6 million passengers to 20 million.
Planning firm Mead & Hunt calls it a multibillion-dollar program. No specific cost has been released.
The problems driving the plan will sound familiar to anyone who has circled a terminal at peak hours. The master plan points to a shortage of public parking, especially covered spaces close to the terminal.
Curbside congestion is the other problem. According to the master plan, it shows up throughout the year and during the busiest hours of the day.
“The ‘Cleared for Takeoff’ plan outlines our trajectory from serving a baseline of 4.6 million passengers annually up to a future capacity of 20 million passengers,” said Jeff Mulder, Director of Airports. “This is a monumental step toward balancing our landside facilities with airside terminal capacity, elevating passenger processing, and ensuring Oklahoma City remains seamlessly connected to the global economy.”
The Oklahoma City Airport Trust hired Mead & Hunt to produce the terminal area master plan. The firm is now handling terminal programming and cost estimating to help move the program forward and secure funding.
Park It Here
Each phase is tied to a passenger milestone rather than a calendar date. Phase 1 kicks in at 6 million passengers.
It includes a new parking structure north of Garage C, which has 5 levels and adds 1,538 spaces. The same phase demolishes Garage A, adds a canopy over the rideshare waiting area, and builds a temporary roadway at grade along the terminal curb.
Gate Expectations
Phase 2 arrives at 8 million passengers. The concourse grows to 24 to 26 gates, with at least one position for widebody aircraft.
The front of the terminal expands partially from the west, bringing total curbside frontage to about 550 feet. A permanent curbside roadway with two levels is also completed.
The master plan adds two more Phase 2 items: demolition of Garage B and a new garage close to the terminal.
Phase 3 is the full build-out at 20 million passengers. The concourse reaches 40 gates, and the curbside widens to 6 lanes with 2 curbs.
The master plan also includes a light rail connection to downtown Oklahoma City in this final phase.
Already on the Clock
Some work isn’t waiting on passenger counts. Work began in September 2026 to replace terminal tile with terrazzo across the tunnel, baggage claim, ticketing, and concourse, with completion set for January 2028.
Roadway work at Terminal Drive and Amelia Earhart is scheduled to begin in mid-October 2026 and wrap by February 2028.
Restrooms in baggage claim and ticketing are set for a full update designed to exceed ADA requirements. That work is scheduled to finish by December 2027.
Snapshot:
Project: “Cleared for Takeoff” Terminal Expansion Plan
Airport: Will Rogers International Airport (OKC)
Planning Client: Oklahoma City Airport Trust
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Sector: Aviation
Plan Type: Conceptual planning study
Planning Horizon: 25 years
Program Value: Multibillion-dollar (per Mead & Hunt; no specific figure released)
Unveiled: October 13, 2026, at a public open house
Planning Firm: Mead & Hunt
Mead & Hunt Scope: Terminal area master plan; terminal programming; cost estimating; on-call planning for OKC, Wiley Post Airport, and Clarence E. Page Airport
Passengers: 4.6 million baseline; 20 million future capacity
Phase 1 (6 million passengers): New garage north of Garage C (5 levels, 1,538 spaces); TNC canopy; Garage A demolition; temporary at-grade curbside roadway; existing terminal roadway demolition (per master plan)
Phase 1 Design Milestones (planned, per master plan): Two-level roadway designed and ready for construction; headhouse expansion under design
Phase 2 (8 million passengers): Partial front expansion from the west; about 550 feet of curbside frontage; 24 to 26 gates with at least one widebody position; permanent two-level roadway; Garage B demolition and new close-in garage (per master plan)
Phase 3 (20 million passengers): Full front expansion; 6 lanes with 2 curbs; 40 gates with at least one widebody position; additional garage and light rail connection to downtown (per master plan)
Drivers: Public parking shortage; curbside congestion
Active Work, Terrazzo Flooring: September 2026 to January 2028
Active Work, Terminal Drive at Amelia Earhart: Mid-October 2026 to February 2028
Active Work, Restroom Renovations: Finish December 2027
Design Status: Final designs, colors, and materials subject to change
More Info: flyokc.gov/business
TheJobWalk Thoughts
Phase 1 is a landside job before it’s a terminal job. A new garage, the Garage A teardown, and a temporary roadway all have to happen while the airport keeps running. Phasing and traffic control will matter as much as the structure itself.
Design is planned to run ahead of construction, too. The master plan sets two Phase 1 milestones: the new roadway designed and ready to build, and the headhouse expansion under design. No procurement dates have been announced, but that sequence suggests design and preconstruction work will come up well before the 8 million passenger mark.
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