Medford, OR – The Rogue Valley International – Medford Airport is preparing for a major expansion to accommodate a significant increase in passenger traffic over the next two decades. Airport officials have stated that the facility, which serves Southern Oregon and Northern California, is outgrowing its current infrastructure and needs substantial upgrades to meet future demand.
Amber Judd, the airport’s director, revealed that the airport expects passenger numbers to double by 2042, with projections estimating approximately one million passengers annually. In order to handle this growth, Judd explained that the airport will need to nearly double in size.
“Our terminal was built 15 years ago and was designed with smaller regional jets in mind, but those aircraft are becoming less common,” Judd said in a presentation to Jackson County Commissioners on November 26. “The trend is toward larger planes, and our facilities need to catch up.”
Currently, the airport is facing several challenges due to its limited capacity. With only two jet bridges, there is not enough space to accommodate more airlines or larger planes. Judd also pointed out that the airport can only operate two security checkpoints at a time and has no available check-in desks for new carriers.
The proposed expansion plan would nearly double the airport’s square footage, with a focus on building a new two-story concourse capable of serving at least six planes simultaneously. The expansion is estimated to cost $180 million, with the concourse being the most expensive component of the project. Additionally, the airport plans to expand outbound luggage handling to improve efficiency.
“This is an expensive project, and while we have been saving for many years, we don’t have enough funds to cover the full cost,” Judd explained. To finance the expansion, the airport is looking to increase some of the fees it charges and is also seeking state and federal grant funding. However, the exact amount of funding they can secure remains uncertain.
Despite the high costs, Judd expressed confidence that the project will move forward, with the airport planning to select a designer as soon as December. Construction is expected to begin by the end of 2026 at the earliest. Although Jackson County owns the airport, it operates independently and does not rely on county funding for its operations.