Devils Lake Regional Airport's New Terminal Building Providing More Space and Creature Comforts to Passengers

Oct. 19—DEVILS LAKE, N.D. — The new Devils Lake Regional Airport terminal building makes the airport well-positioned for the future, Director Scott Cruse said.

The project has expanded multiple areas of the building, as well as providing a few more amenities for passengers waiting to board.

"It's basically some creature comforts and a little more room for everybody," Cruse said.

The airport celebrated the finished terminal building project on Oct. 1 with a ribbon cutting and open house, which Cruse said about 100 people attended. The project has been going on since spring, following the completion of two new general aviation hangars and reconstruction on part of the general aviation apron.

Along with expanding the terminal to twice its size, it also expanded the passenger waiting area, holding area and storage space for the airline, so more things can be kept inside and away from the elements, Cruse said. Also protecting people from the elements is a new boarding bridge. A baggage carousel, a mother's room, additional bathrooms in the holding area and lobby, as well as a bigger vending area have also been added for visitors. The TSA security checkpoint now has double the space and is ready for the latest TSA technology.

"It's really amazing to see," Cruse said. "To stay open during this whole project was quite a feat."

Community reception has been supportive, he said, and he was happy with the turnout for the ribbon cutting and open house. But now isn't the time to take it easy — Cruse already has another project in the works with construction plans for redoing the airport's taxiway and both runways. Work on that project will most likely begin in 2026, he said.

The funds to do airport improvements like the terminal project and upcoming taxiway and runway project come from the Federal Aviation Administration, which provides more funding the more boardings an airport has.

In 2023, Devils Lake had 8,087 enplanements, a new record for the airport and an increase of 17.5% from 2022. If the airport reaches 10,000 boardings, it will receive $1 million in funding, which Cruse said is the next goal. Boardings have been increasing steadily since February 2023, he said, and 19 of the past 20 months have been record boarding. This year probably won't be the year to hit 10,000, he said, but it's going to be close.

"We're pretty fortunate to have this type of facility for the size of our town, and we appreciate everybody that utilizes this facility and flies with us," Cruse said. "It all helps. Every boarding counts. It's more funding to do airport improvements and it's always good to keep ahead of the game."

___

(c)2024 the Grand Forks Herald (Grand Forks, N.D.)

Visit the Grand Forks Herald (Grand Forks, N.D.) at www.grandforksherald.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.