Tester Secures $7 Million to Expand Glacier Park International Airport

Funding will come from the 2023 government funding package

In his continued effort to upgrade critical infrastructure and support Montana’s rural economies, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today secured $7 million to expand Glacier Park International Airport. This funding, which comes from the 2023 government funding package championed by Senator Tester, will be used to expand the airport’s commercial apron and increase its capacity. 

“Expanding transportation infrastructure is critical for supporting Montana’s rural communities—especially in places like Glacier, where folks rely on tourism and the recreational economy to make a good living,” said Tester. “Expanding Glacier Airport will have a real positive impact on small businesses in the Flathead and across northwest Montana, and I’m proud to have secured federal dollars to get this done.”

Tester has led the charge to upgrade Montana’s airport infrastructure. This past year he secured approximately $144 million for 69 Montana airports through his bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which will be awarded over five years through the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airport Improvement Grants. This funding can be used to construct or repair runways and taxiways as well as make terminal and gate improvements.

In February, Tester secured $7,300,000 for Glacier Park International Airport to modernize and expand its existing terminal building through the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airport Terminal Program, and wrote a letter of support to the FAA for Glacier Park International Airport’s grant application in December, 2022.

Tester has also led the effort to lower costs and expand access to reliable air service in rural communities. In May, Tester introduced his bipartisan Small Community Air Service Enhancement Act to increase flight options for travelers in rural America.