Philadelphia airport debuts upgrades ahead of major 2026 events

Philadelphia is already welcoming visitors for what officials call a historic stretch of major events — from March Madness games and the PGA Championship to the FIFA World Cup, Wawa Welcome America, the nation’s birthday celebrations and the MLB All-Star Game.

With travelers arriving by car, train and plane, those flying into Philadelphia International Airport will soon notice major upgrades years in the making.

“We wanted to make a great first impression of the city, and the airport is the front door to that,” said Api Appulingam, the airport’s chief development officer.

Appulingam said the airport has completed about 50 projects totaling roughly $500 million, with work beginning several years ago to ensure PHL is ready for 2026.

“They add up quickly,” she said.

The improvements span nearly every part of the passenger experience.

“With our new bathrooms, we built lactation suites,” Appulingam said.

The airport also added step stools for children.

“We’ve installed step stools where little kids can get up and wash their hands,” she said.

Officials say passenger feedback helped shape other changes.

“We have two hooks in the bathroom because we got a lot of feedback from female passengers that said where do I put my purse and where do I put my jacket?” Appulingam said.

Beyond restrooms, modernization efforts include upgrades to seating areas and transportation access.

“The hold room seats have been upgraded with charging infrastructure,” she said.

As travelers head to public transit, they’ll also notice improvements.

“As they’re walking their way to SEPTA platforms, the platforms have been modernized,” Appulingam said.

Technology upgrades are also part of the overhaul.

“We have new flight info display systems,” she said. “We have digital signage now.”

The airport is also highlighting local culture through art installations.

“Our art curator has made sure she reaches out to the communities and bring Philly flavor into our artwork,” Appulingam said.

And officials say the work won’t stop once the crowds arrive.

“We’re going to continue this momentum after 2026 and keep doing those improvements and the modernization the airport deserves,” she said.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication.