On May 21, 2026, the new Mobile International Airport, which is expected to open spring 2027, was showcased by the Engineering & Public Works Roadshow, a national initiative to spotlight significant infrastructure and public works projects that strengthen communities. Construction of the new airport marked the first Alabama site spotlighted by the Roadshow, which has featured more than 20 projects from coast to coast since its inception in 2022.
As Mobile develops into a dynamic multimodal hub for the entire Southeast, the challenging location of the existing Mobile Regional Airport has driven passengers away, limiting the city’s economic potential. The new airport, which will open with five gates and is designed to expand to 12 as demand grows, relocates commercial passenger traffic from west Mobile to the heart of downtown Mobile. The site will be seamlessly connected to local interstates, railroads, and the Port of Mobile, helping facilitate economic development in the region.
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“The Mobile International Airport project is truly transformative and will change the way visitors experience our city,” Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis said. “This new facility will enhance tourism, keep us better connected and give us an edge when it comes to economic development. I could not be more excited for the future of our city and how the new Mobile International Airport plays into it.”
“We are honored to have this project recognized by the Engineering & Public Works Roadshow,” said Luckett Robinson, Vice Chairman of the Mobile Airport Authority. “Projects of this scale only happen with strong partnerships and coordination. We’re grateful for the incredible support we’ve received from our City, County, State and federal officials. We also value the commitment to this project demonstrated every day by our program manager, contractors, engineers and architects who are bringing this vision to life. This project is a strong example of what local, state, and federal collaboration can accomplish for a community’s future.”
The new airport featured a combination of funding from the federal, state and local levels of government, in addition to the private sector, demonstrating how effective collaborative funding mechanisms can be for accomplishing major infrastructure projects.
“The Mobile International Airport is far more than a new terminal; it’s a transformational investment in the economic future of the Southeast. Projects like this create jobs, attract industry, and strengthen America’s competitiveness in a global economy. It is a powerful example of what engineering and public works can accomplish when communities plan boldly for the future,” said ACEC Chair-elect Derek Clyburn, P.E., and President, ECS Southeast LLP.
“As public works professionals, we understand that transformational infrastructure is built with a long view in mind,” said APWA Alabama Chapter President Cheri Boucher. “The goal is not simply to complete a project but to create something durable, functional, safe, and valuable for generations of residents, businesses, and visitors.”
“Infrastructure is a system of systems, and the compatibility of one component of the network with the other largely determines how well our built environment is able to serve us,” said ASCE Alabama Section President Taylor Janney. “The new airport is far more integrated in Mobile’s highways, port, railroads, and city center, which doesn’t just improve the air travel experience – it makes each of those systems work more efficiently as we move people and goods across the region, country, and world.”
The Engineering & Public Works Roadshow is a joint initiative of the American Public Works Association (APWA), American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), and American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
For nearly four years, the Roadshow has traveled to communities across the country to spotlight infrastructure projects and the professionals behind them, demonstrating how investments in public works and engineering improve quality of life, strengthen resilience, and support long-term economic vitality.
Businesses and families are choosing to invest in Mobile. Now, the city will have an airport fit to support those investments and attract more opportunities.
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