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Ogden Mayor Ben Nadolski helps announce a series of upgrades to the Ogden-Hinckley Airport in front of the terminal building on Monday, Jan. 6, 2024.

Rob Nielsen, Standard-Examiner

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Airport and city officials break ground on a $4.4 million slate of improvements to the Ogden-Hinckley Airport on Monday, Jan. 6, 2024.

Rob Nielsen, Standard-Examiner

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A rendering of some of the planned facade improvements to the Ogden-Hinckley Airport. Ground was broken on these improvements on Monday, Jan. 6, 2024.

Photo supplied, Ogden City

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OGDEN — The passenger experience at Ogden-Hinckley Airport is about to be massively enhanced.

On Monday, city and airport officials gathered in front of the passenger terminal to break ground on a $4.4 million improvement plan that is set to expand the existing terminal and improve traffic patterns to include more space for picking up and dropping off passengers.

Ogden Mayor Ben Nadolski said the project goes beyond just revamping a physical structure.

“What we’re here to talk about is the building of a structure — the building of a building,” he said. “But that’s only one part of it. What we’ve been doing, and why there’s so many partners, friends and employees here today, is we’ve been building more than just buildings — we’re building a culture, we’re building a vision and we’re building a future in the work that we do here.”

Ogden City Airport Director Brian Condie said the project will make several improvements to the terminal and the passenger experience in general.

“The mater plan calls for increased flow and passenger count,” he said. “There’s a roundabout in the middle of our drop-off, so if one vehicle parks there, it blocks everybody else from dropping off and passengers are crossing traffic. … It adds six lanes for vehicles to pull up and drop off passengers safely and timely. The baggage claim used to be outside here underneath the awning. The baggage claim will now be moved indoors. The baggage carousel will be indoors and the customers will be out of the weather.”

He said ADA access will also be improved, a new facade will be added, additional offices will be built and the terminal will receive more space inside for seating and potential additions in airline and rental car service that may materialize in the future.

Condie said just over 90% of the funding comes from FAA funds along with money from the state.

Currently, the airport is served by Breeze Airways, which offers flights to Santa Ana, California, four days per week.

Nadolski added that these airport improvements will help the city make a greater impression on travelers.

“It’s going to be a lot more inviting and welcoming,” he said. “It’s going to put a much better foot forward for Ogden, and we want to make sure that our first impression’s our best impression. Ogden’s a beautiful community and we want to make sure that, when you come here, that you’re welcomed by a beautiful facade into a beautiful facility, because this is the gateway and access to beautiful experiences all around the country, and eventually, the world.”

While the changes are meant to make the airport a better experience for customers, Condie said they won’t guarantee additional airline service.

“That’s a very complicated market right now,” he said. “The airport and the city have a limited input, but what we have (control over) is improving the terminal and improving customer service and marketing the airport to local residents. If the local residents use the airport more and we are more accommodating to our local residents, it’ll increase our traffic numbers, but even that is no guarantee an airline will come here.”

He said the airport is currently able to accommodate up to two commercial aircraft simultaneously and that the goal is, once the current project is finished, to begin working on infrastructure projects to ultimately be able to serve three commercial aircraft on the apron simultaneously.

The project is expected to be finished in October. Airline service will continue as normal during construction, and the airport’s restaurant, The Bickering Sisters, will also remain open.