New York Celebrates the Completion of Laguardia's Grand Makeover

By Toby Friedman

New York City on Wednesday celebrated the 6 year project of the Laguardia Airport makeover.

8 billion dollars in reconstruction went into the airport where a new Delta Airlines terminal was added.

Delta's new, state of the art Terminal C, with 37 gates, will begin flights on Saturday at nine. 

As the largest carrier at LaGuardia, Delta will fly 255 flights daily to 70 cities this summer.

In 2014, then-Vice President Joe Biden dubbed the airport "some third world country."

Gov Kathy Hochul at the grand opening event told Biden in response to his earlier assessment. "Come see this, President Biden, because your jaw is going to drop."

Rick Cotton, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, said LaGuardia had transformed from the "most reviled airport in the nation" into a world-class facility.

Airlines provided about two-thirds of the cost, with about $3.4 billion from Delta, New York said.

In this groundbreaking project, which began in 2017, Terminals C and D were consolidated into a single terminal across four concourses and a centralized departures and arrivals hall.

The terminal features high-tech art work, power outlets at all seats and fancy new restaurants.

It includes Delta's largest airport lounge, a 34,000-square foot Sky Club with panoramic views that when finished can accommodate nearly 600 people.

Delta Chief Executive Ed Bastian said that in 2017 "it was the single biggest investment decision" in the airline's history. Delta is investing more than $6 billion in New York's LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy International Airport, he added.

Laguardia, here we come!

Photos: Flickr