Terminal at Columbia Regional Airport slated to finish in 2023 or later

The Airport Advisory Board predicts the total cost of the new terminal for the Columbia Regional Airport will be $38-40 million. The board also says it’s possible for everything to be finished by 2023, but it could be later.

As of now there are three major sources for the funding of the operation: The 1% increase in lodging tax, the Missouri Department of Transportation, and a maximum of $20 million from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The application for the FAA will be filed in April of 2018 or 2019.

Board members, such as city spokesman Steve Sapp, believe the project will relieve a lot of displeasure inside the airport caused by its lack of space for travelers. “The trending we’re seeing now puts us over 220,000 passengers potentially in the next year or two,” said Sapp.

United Airlines will join American Airlines in August as the only companies to fly in and out of the Columbia airport.