More than $20 million is going to improvements at two dozens airports in Mississippi.
U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) announced Tuesday that the Federal Aviation Administration approved the third round of FY2026 Airport Improvement Program grants, which meet Airport Safety and Resilient Infrastructure Development eligibility and prioritization criteria requirements.
Hyde-Smith, who chairs her chamber’s Transportation Committee while also serving on the Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, said funds were provided in the 2025 Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act.
“Local airports play a critical role in supporting jobs and economic development, which is why they must regularly invest in rehabilitation, construction, and safety improvement projects,” Hyde-Smith said. “These FAA awards will help large and small communities in Mississippi enhance the safety, efficiency, and operation of their airport facilities.”
The following Mississippi projects were given federal dollars:
Tunica Municipal Airport ($6,788,600)
The airport will use the funding to rehabilitate an existing runway.
Starkville’s George M. Bryan Airport ($4,250,000)
The airport will use the funding to extend an existing runway and taxiway.
Greenville Mid-Delta Airport ($1,795,310)
The airport will use the funding to to support the final phase of a taxiway rehabilitation project.
Golden Triangle Regional Airport ($1,146,555)
$804,555 will go toward to resealing terminal apron pavement, while $190,000 will go toward supporting continued land acquisition for future eligible development, and $152,000 will support the purchase of aircraft rescue and firefighting equipment, security cameras, and wildlife hazard mitigation activities.
Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport ($1,048,653)
The airport will use the funding to reseal 8,500 feet of an existing runway.
New Albany/Union County Airport ($609,000)
The airport will use the funding to expand an existing terminal apron.
Hesler/Noble Field, Laurel ($542,614)
The airport will use the funding to extend an existing runway.
Pontotoc County Airport ($541,285)
The airport will use the funding to support runway expansion and terminal apron rehabilitation.
Monroe County Airport ($530,000)
The airport will use the funding to extend an existing taxiway.
Okolona Municipal Airport-Richard Stovall Field ($504,000)
The airport will use the funding to rehabilitate the terminal access road, as well as to rehabilitate hangar access and main apron pavement.
Brookhaven-Lincoln County Airport ($491,625)
The airport will use the funds to improve safety compliance by removing trees identified by federal authorities as obstructions.
Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport ($369,175)
The airport will use the funding to reconstruct taxiway lighting and rehabilitate runway lighting.
Columbus-Lowndes County Airport ($324,068)
The airport will use the funding to acquire and install an automated weather observing system.
Winona-Montgomery County Airport ($307,680)
The airport will use the funding to construct a new 5,000-square-foot hangar for aircraft storage/maintenance.
Newton’s James H. Easom Field ($300,000)
The airport will use the funding to reseal portions of a runway, main apron, and taxiway.
Calhoun County Airport ($208,000)
The airport will use the funding to construct a 3,600-square-foot hangar for aircraft storage.
Hattiesburg Bobby L. Chain Municipal Airport ($150,000)
The airport will use the funding to support the installation of new airfield signals.
Houston Municipal Airport ($150,000)
The airport will use the funding to improve safety compliance by removing trees identified by federal authorities as obstructions.
Magee Municipal Airport ($150,000)
The airport will use the funding to rehabilitate the existing airport rotating beacon
McComb/Pike County Airport/John E. Lewis Field ($150,000)
The airport will use the funding to support rehabilitation of a runway and taxiway.
Poplarville/Pearl River County Airport ($141,276)
The airport will use the money to purchase navigational aids and reseal taxi lane pavement.
Belzoni Municipal Airport ($103,835)
The airport will use the funding to construct a new 278-square-foot helicopter parking apron.
Waynesboro Municipal Airport ($98,848)
The airport will use the funding to update the airport layout plan with a master plan narrative.
Louisville/Winston County Airport ($30,000)
The airport will use the funding to finalize an airport layout plan with a master plan narrative.
