Gerald R. Ford International Airport – A small hub with a big vision and impact

Your travel experience begins here

Whether you’re flying to Grand Rapids for a conference, taking the family to the Rockies for some summertime hiking, or flying in for a Beer City beercation with friends, the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) is where your experience begins. And everyone at the Ford International Airport works hard to make it the best experience possible.

This small hub served 4.3 million passengers in 2025, a new record, reinforcing its status as the second busiest airport in Michigan. It's served by eight airlines offering more than 100 daily flights and over 35 nonstop routes to destinations nationwide.

GRR does all of this while making travel better. Airports Council International has named it North America’s best airport by size and region for four years running, and has hailed it as the cleanest and most enjoyable airport, the easiest airport journey and the airport with the most dedicated staff. GRR also earned the top spot in the USA Today Reader’s Choice Awards for best small airport in 2025.

Public-private partnership leads vision to elevate and expand service

Managed and operated by the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority—a seven-member body appointed by Kent County and comprised of leaders from the public and private sectors— the Ford International Airport is never short on vision.

Experience Grand Rapids president and CEO Doug Small has served on the Authority Board since January 2020 and was appointed vice chair in January 2023.

“I was privileged to join the board at a very exciting time when several construction projects, new initiatives, and route additions were underway,” said Small. “Our community is thriving. As head of our regional destination marketing agency, I see daily the critical role the Ford International Airport plays in the region’s growth and success.”

The Authority provides airport policy direction and oversight, and—in tandem with Ford International Airport Authority president and CEO, Tory Richardson, and his team—helps drive the mission to create an exceptional travel experience for passengers, and to drive growth and prosperity for all of West Michigan.

In pursuit of that mission, the Ford International Airport announced the Elevate expansion and improvement program in 2019.

One of the biggest small-hub capital expansions in the U.S.

Bolstered in July 2022 by $8.6 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding, the Ford International Airport is undertaking one of the largest capital expansions in the U.S. for a small hub airport.

Dubbed Project Elevate, the $600 million, multi-phase expansion is funded entirely with grants, bonds and airport revenues—no local taxes are going toward the effort. Elevate is aimed at further enhancing the Airport’s award-winning guest experience and positioning it for future growth. The Federal Aviation Administration has ranked Ford International Airport among the fastest-growing airports in the U.S. and Airport officials expect a continued 5% passenger growth through 2028 and beyond.

Elevate projects include:

• Expansion and widening of Concourse A, including the addition of eight new gates, new concession and retail options and modern amenities—completed in 2024.

• Construction of a new executive lounge, Club GRR, offering a premium experience for passengers with all-inclusive food and beverage service—opened in 2025.

• Construction of Michigan’s first consolidated rental car facility—opened in 2026.

• Expansion of the terminal curb front to consolidate all ticketing counters, implement a checked baggage inspection system and create a larger baggage claim space with additional carousels—project underway and expected to be completed in 2027.

• Addition of a federal inspection station to support nonstop international commercial flights.

• Relocation of the air traffic control tower to accommodate terminal-area developments.

• Increased parking capacity with a North Lot garage.

This initiative is estimated to help drive the Airport’s annual economic impact from $7.7 billion in 2023 to $10 billion by 2030. That’s up from $3.1 billion in annual economic impact in 2019.

Elevate will also lower GRR’s impact on the environment. Long committed to sustainable practices, the Ford International Airport is building new spaces that are efficient, long-lasting and environmentally responsible. For example, the new-in-2026 consolidated rental car facility is expected to cut carbon emissions by up to 500,000 pounds annually.

Let the journey begin

So, the next time your journey includes the Gerald R. Ford International Airport, take a breath, and enjoy the experience.

As Jorge Barrero, principal at HKS and lead architect on the Concourse A expansion said, “Your travel experience will start when you arrive at Ford International Airport, which wants to be part of your journey – not simply a building.”