MONTEREY >> A new federal grant, for more than $5 million, has been secured for the construction of the new passenger terminal at the Monterey Regional Airport by Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley.

The funding, made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law in 2021, will support phase five of the terminal replacement project, including the relocation of utilities and the construction of a new public parking lot.

“Despite this Administration slashing federal funding for local infrastructure programs, I was able to work and obtain this federal investment for our community,” said Panetta in a press release. “This new federal funding for Monterey Regional Airport will help it modernize with safer, more efficient and more sustainable facilities.”

The announcement of this latest grant, in the amount of $5,353,204, follows Panetta’s previous efforts to secure over $64 million in federal funding for the l Airport’s modernization, supporting terminal design, tarmac improvements and other safety upgrades.

“This funding is a critical component for the circulation in and out of the replacement terminal to ensure the passenger journey remains easy and convenient for both residents and visitors,” said Monterey Regional Airport Interim Executive Director Chris Morello in the release. “We’d like to thank Rep. Panetta for his assistance, it means a great deal to the airport to have such strong support in the District and in Washington.”

Earlier this month, the airport broke ground on the currently estimated $100 million, new airline passenger terminal, marking a milestone in the project’s progression.

When completed, the new replacement terminal will boast nearly 63,000 square feet of public space to serve the more than 600,000 passengers annually who currently move through. The new facility will likely be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certified, have five passenger boarding bridges, eight commercial aircraft parking spaces and offer 440 public parking spaces. The new terminal is expected to deliver a modern, accessible and efficient travel experience once the terminal is open, estimated to happen in spring 2027.

The replacement passenger terminal is one project of many in the more than $200 million Monterey Regional Airport Metamorphosis Safety Enhancement Program, which is a Federal Aviation Administration requirement to enhance safety at the airport. The program is made possible through multiple and significant federal grants.

Other projects in the program include, a state-of-the-art Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Station which opened in 2023, new general aviation hangars on the airport’s north side, completed in 2023 and the future relocation of Taxiway A, the final phase of the MRY Metamorphosis SEP.

Earlier this year, the Monterey Regional Airport reported that for the third year in a row it has tallied double-digit passenger growth and can now boast serving more than 600,000 passengers annually.

The airport now provides nine nonstop markets with an average of 17 daily departures, including second daily nonstop flights added to three destinations — San Diego on Alaska Airlines, Dallas-Fort Worth on American Airlines and Denver on United Airlines.

The Monterey airport also offers seasonal nonstop service to Burbank and Orange County on JSX.