Officials from Will Rogers International Airport (OKC) debuted “Cleared for Takeoff,” a visionary Terminal Expansion Plan designed to secure the next 25 years of travel for the region during a public open house on Tuesday.
The conceptual planning study establishes a strategic roadmap to address current terminal capacity strains, modernize passenger processing, resolve public parking shortages, and aggressively scale operations to support unprecedented long-term regional growth.
“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 expansion strategy will unfold in demand-driven phases tied to localized passenger milestones:
- Phase 1 (targeting 6 million passengers): Focuses on immediate infrastructure relief by adding a new 5-level parking structure north of Garage C to yield 1,538 new spaces. This phase also brings a weather-protective TNC Canopy to the rideshare waiting area, triggers the demolition of Garage A, and introduces a temporary at-grade terminal curbside roadway to pave the way for major structural overhauls.
- Phase 2 (targeting 8 million passengers): Shifts focus on key terminal extensions. Milestones include a partial expansion of the front of the building from the west extending curbside frontage to approximately 550 feet and expanding the concourse to support 24 to 26 gates, including at least one designated widebody aircraft position. A permanent two-level terminal curbside roadway will also be finalized during this phase.
- Phase 3 (targeting 20 million passengers): Represents the fully realized master vision. The terminal will achieve a full front of the building expansion, widening the curbside layout to 6 lanes with 2 distinct curbs. The concourse will grow dramatically to 40 gates.
Immediate construction and ongoing modernization
Airport officials emphasized that travelers will see immediate benefits from modernizations already underway:
- Terminal flooring upgrades: Work began in September 2026 to replace existing tiles with premium terrazzo running across the tunnel, baggage claim, ticketing, and concourse, slated to finish by January 2028.
- Terminal Drive rehabilitation: Major infrastructure work at the intersection of Terminal Drive and Amelia Earhart is scheduled to begin mid-October 2026, with anticipated completion by February 2028.
- Restroom renovations: Fully updating baggage claim and ticketing restrooms to exceed standard ADA code compliance requirements is scheduled to commence over the coming weeks and will finish by December 2027.
While final building designs, colors, and materials remain subject to change as design processes mature, the foundational roadmap is locked in. Will Rogers International Airport is officially cleared for takeoff.
For more information regarding the master plan or to view ongoing conceptual renderings, visit the official project portal or view the presentation overview directly online at flyokc.gov/business.
