Maryland Governor Wes Moore has formally opened the new Concourse A/B Connector and Baggage Handling System (BHS) at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI Marshall), a project valued at 520 million USD.
The project represents the largest capital investment undertaken at the airport to date and is intended to support projected passenger growth while improving operational efficiency. Planning began in 2017, with construction starting in early 2022.
The Concourse A/B Connector includes a two-storey extension comprising 142,000 square feet of new construction and 78,000 square feet of renovated space. A central feature is a new in-line baggage handling system, which can process nearly 3,500 bags per hour, compared with the previous capacity of about 2,100 bags per hour.
Gov. Moore said:We celebrate this project that will serve our passengers, support airline growth, and continue driving economic development for our state. By modernising our airport, we’re showing the world that we are making this Maryland’s Decade and committed to providing an outstanding travel experience for residents, businesses, and visitors.
The project includes a direct airside connection between Concourses A and B to reduce passenger transfer times, five relocated and modernised gate areas, and updated holdroom seating with integrated charging points. The new baggage system incorporates seven Explosive Detection System machines, with space allocated for an additional unit in the future.
Other improvements include the replacement of five existing baggage claim carousels and the addition of a sixth, new restroom facilities, and expanded areas for food and retail concessions. Around 14,000 square feet has been allocated for new concessions, with a further 28,000 square feet reserved as flexible space for future use.
Sustainability measures have also been incorporated, including energy-efficient systems and the use of engineered wood beams designed to reduce the project’s carbon footprint.
Southwest Airlines, the airport’s largest carrier, will be the primary user of the new facilities. BWI Marshall is a significant airport within Southwest’s network, particularly on the East Coast. In the 2025 fiscal year, Southwest carried more than 18 million passengers through BWI, operating around 230 daily departures to 82 domestic and international destinations. The airline employs more than 5,000 people in the local area.
Southwest Airlines chief operating officer Andrew Watterson said:This added gate capacity ushers the opportunity to add more service and prioritises the airport experience for our Customers using BWI Marshall Airport.
Southwest launched our first international flights from here more than a decade ago; more recently, we welcomed our first cross-country redeye arrivals and connected our first interline Customers travelling overseas through BWI. We’re delivering more in 2026 with added comfort and choice, including assigned seating. Our longstanding partnership with the Maryland Aviation Administration positions BWI as much at the Heart of our future as it has in the decades we’ve served as the airport’s largest carrier.
BWI Marshall Airport currently offers around 300 daily nonstop departures to approximately 90 destinations. According to airport figures, it generates an annual economic impact of 11.3 billion USD and supports more than 107,000 jobs across Maryland and the surrounding region.
