Like other airports, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International (CVG) in Hebron, KY, is in the people transport business; but it's also in the business of moving stuff. And the 'stuff side' of the business is doing quite well. In fact, CVG is the fastest-growing cargo airport in the United States. It's also the eighth largest cargo airport in the country, and the 34th largest in the world.
When cargo flights are delayed or diverted, it not only affects customers expecting freight, it also impacts airports handling the traffic. Sometimes it takes a domino effect of gate shifts to accommodate off-schedule or unexpected cargo flights.
Wander through the new Northeast Cargo Facility at Chicago O'Hare Airport (ORD), and you never know what you'll see. It could be a multimillion-dollar racehorse, a 1950s Ferrari restored to impeccable condition, or something so unique it's hard to tell exactly what it is.
Already a dominant player in the cargo sector, Miami International Airport (MIA) is working to boost business further with three new initiatives. Two are up and running: a new ocean-to-air shipping program and specialized operations as a pharmaceutical hub. The third, a foreign-trade zone, is pending federal approval, with a decision expected early this year.
In 2015, when overall U.S. foreign trade declined 5.6%, business was booming in Laredo, TX. In fact, trade was at a record high, and Laredo climbed to third in the nation-behind only Los Angeles and New York City.
In June 2015, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) completed a $23 million cargo expansion project designed to support the growing cargo demand the airport is experiencing and hopes to increase.
Cargo is already a dominant force at John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport (YHM), and it's about to get even bigger, and more diverse, with the opening of a $12 million warehouse complex.
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) continues to progress toward its goal of becoming the North American leader in global air cargo with the recent opening of a $35 million landside warehouse and more airside development in the works.
As in real estate, "location, location, location" can be crucial for airports. It's especially true for Ted Stevens Anchorage International (ANC) in Alaska. The state-owned airport has parlayed its geographic quirk into a competitive advantage. With three runways (all longer than 10,600 feet), special ramp facilities and procedures, and a little help from the federal government, ANC has molded itself into a critical refueling stop for cargo carriers flying the skies between Asia and North America.
