The Maryland Board of Public Works unanimously approved a construction package for major terminal improvements at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport to accommodate growth and enhance the air passenger experience.
The BPW authorized a $332.5 million contract for the A/B Connector and Baggage Handling System Improvement at BWI Marshall. The multi-year construction project is the largest terminal enhancement ever for the airport.
The A/B Connector and Baggage Handling System improvements at the airport will bring a major upgrade to the center of operations for Southwest Airlines. Improvements advanced by the BPW will include a new, sophisticated baggage handling system, a direct connection between concourses A and B, expanded hold room areas at passenger gates, new restrooms and added food and retail concessions space.
Southwest is the busiest carrier at BWI Marshall, serving about 70 percent of the airport’s passenger traffic. BWI is one of the busiest airports in the airline’s network, and there are more than 4,000 Southwest employees in this market.
Preliminary work to support the project started early this year. Major construction approved by the BPW is set to begin in late 2022. The current schedule calls for completion of the new baggage handling system and the connector in late 2025, with final program completion in summer 2026.