U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., toured Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport on Monday, highlighting recent upgrades and long-term expansion plans as the facility adapts to rising passenger demand.
Wyden and fellow Oregon Democrat Sen. Jeff Merkley helped secure $6.41 million in Federal Aviation Administration grants in 2024. The money paid for renovations to the airport’s tarmac, including an extension of the main taxiway, the addition of two new taxiways and expanded aircraft parking space.
Construction, completed earlier this year, focused on airfield operations rather than passenger areas. Officials say the improvements will make ground navigation safer and more efficient for pilots.
“It’s gonna be a good place to be in the cockpit,” Wyden said.
With that work complete, airport officials are shifting their attention inside.
Passenger traffic has surged in recent years, straining the airport’s terminal capacity. In May, nearly 99,000 travelers passed through — the airport’s busiest May on record. That marked a 10% increase over May 2024 and about 6% more than the previous high in 2019.
To accommodate future growth, officials are drafting a three-phase expansion plan aimed at doubling the airport’s passenger capacity by 2042. The project is expected to cost Jackson County about $180 million.
Plans include expanding the boarding area, adding ticket counters to support more airlines, and building a fourth security screening lane to reduce wait times.
One of the top priorities, airport director Amber Judd said, is improving the baggage claim area.
“Usually when you get off an airplane at a big airport, it takes you about half an hour to walk to baggage claim,” she said, “So you don’t really notice how long it’s taking. But here you’re at baggage claim really quickly, and so that wait can seem like hours.”
The first phase of the expansion is expected to cost $115 million. Judd said construction could begin as early as 2027. The county has set aside some funding and plans to apply for additional state and federal grants.
