Share and Follow
The Jacksonville International Airport is set to unveil its new concourse by late 2026, featuring six additional gates along with new flight routes and dining options.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Expect an expanded airport experience with more flights and dining choices.
On Friday morning, officials at Jacksonville International Airport celebrated a milestone with a topping out ceremony for the upcoming Concourse B.
This new addition will introduce six extra gates, accompanied by spaces dedicated to restaurants and retail outlets.
During the ceremony, Jacksonville Aviation Authority CEO Mark VanLoh expressed gratitude, saying, “I want to thank the workers here that actually put this thing up. Don’t think we didn’t see you working Saturdays and at night till dark.”
A crowd of construction workers in vests and hard hats looked on proudly as the last beam of concourse B went in at JAX.
“The last piece of steel that goes on the facility is called the ‘Topping Out.’ They always put the American flag on it and also a pine tree, which is a Scandinavian tradition, which I can’t even tell you when that started, but it’s a symbol of good luck and prosperity.”
They all signed that beam to signify their hard work, which has been in the making since 2008.
“Stop start, stop start,” said VanLoh. “We’ve been waiting for this for decades. It’s coming to fruition, and we’re excited for everybody in Jacksonville.”
The $300 million concourse will add six new gates, which VanLoh hopes will attract more international offerings.
“American Airlines is taking all these new gates,” said VanLoh. “Currently, American Airlines doesn’t need all these gates, so if you put two and two together, we think that’s big news for American, which is our number one carrier now in Jacksonville. I’d like to see Caribbean and Mexico immediately.”
VanLoh says international has been the focus lately, but he’d also like to see West Coast destinations like San Francisco and Seattle added to the docket.
Blueprints show it also has room for two new retails spaces, two restaurants and a food hall – so First Coast News asked if we could get a sneak peak into what we can expect there.
“I cannot until our board has approved that agreement in November, but it’s the restaurants that everyone has been asking us for years,” said VanLoh.
VanLoh is hoping to see planes coming in and out of the new concourse in time for Christmas 2026.
