Hilton Head Island Airport to triple capacity under $38M expansion plan

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC. (WTOC) - The Hilton Head Island Airport is inching closer to the end of their expansion project. This $38 million project focuses on adding more terminals to the airport.

This hefty project will nearly triple the airport’s current capacity.

The airport’s director says improvements have been something they have been looking forward to for quite a while

The project kicked off back in 2023 and according to the Airports Website has been making big strides this summer.

According to Jon Rembold, the Airport’s Director, air traffic at the airport began to pick up after they expanded the runway a few years back, more commercial flights were finding their way to the island’s tarmac, and jumpstarted the expansion.

“This will be the last summer of that heavy heavy traffic in the old building and we will have a new building,” said Rembold.

The new building will allow for bigger airlines to add stops in Hilton Head, something Rembold says will not just help tourism on the island but those who live there.

“A lot of those folks are making connections with family members who live other places, and believe it or not, we have people who work other places, and commute from our airport,” says Rembold

Throughout the week, the airport sees less than 10 flights a day, with more on the weekends. Phase one will work to add more gates, a new building and more air traffic on and off the island.

Funding for phase one has been through the State, the FAA, and the airport. The expected completion date for the expansion is Spring 2026.