GCIA boosts cargo growth with new grants and contracts

The Gary/Chicago International Airport (GCIA) has announced key developments in its ongoing “Phase 1” cargo services expansion, marking a major step in its long-term strategy to strengthen its logistics and aviation infrastructure, according to an official release from GCIA.

The announcement coincided with the airport receiving a previously allocated $9.82 million grant by the State of Indiana. The timing of this grant allows GCIA to fully construct its full allocation of eight wide-bodied aircraft parking positions simultaneously, which will be housed on roughly 25 acres of concrete ramp as part of its Phase 1 cargo expansion. Construction for this Phase 1 expansion is now scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025, and the ability to construct all the intended aircraft parking positions simultaneously provides the airport with roughly $8.5 million in overall cost savings for its Phase 1 project, the release added.

“We are very pleased to be able to construct all of our planned plane parking in one fell swoop versus a more sequential process over a period of years, given how quickly our cargo sector continues to grow,” says Dan Vicari, Executive Director, GCIA. “We are very grateful to Congressman Frank Mrvan and the State of Indiana for their continued support and assistance in securing the funding for this critical Phase 1 cargo expansion.”

In a parallel development, GCIA has awarded Superior Construction Co. a $15 million bid to construct the airport’s new cargo and general aviation ramp. This new infrastructure will take approximately five months to complete and occupy 8.5 acres of concrete ramp over a 50-acre site. The contract, representing the largest awarded by the airport since the 2015 expansion of the main runway, will enable 85 well-paying construction jobs for the duration of its buildout.

“This bid is a significant step forward in the evolution of our increasingly important cargo and logistics sector, which has seen tremendous growth since it first launched less than 5 years ago. The contract will not only enable future aviation operation expansion but will further the airport’s mission of being an economic engine for Northwest Indiana and support working families throughout the area,” says Vicari of GCIA.

In 2025, GCIA has advanced its cargo service offerings, driving job growth and economic development in Northwest Indiana. The airport has also expanded its land holdings, including the April acquisition of 4.7 acres for $925,000.

Since 2015, GCIA has undergone significant growth, beginning with the extension of its main runway to nearly 9,000 feet, the second longest in the region after O’Hare International Airport, enabling operations of larger, heavier aircraft. In 2018, the airport further expanded its capabilities with the opening of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facility, allowing international passengers to clear customs directly at GCIA.

Cargo services began in 2020 when UPS signed a long-term lease agreement, and operations have since scaled quickly. GCIA now ranks third in the State of Indiana for freight volume, with further growth anticipated in the coming years. In 2022, the airport received formal Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approvals for its Master Plan, a long-term planning document guiding several decades of aviation development.

In late 2023, GCIA further strengthened its network by acquiring the Griffith-Merrillville Airport, becoming one of only three aviation “systems” in the State of Indiana.

2024 was another milestone year, with GCIA unveiling its new website, breaking ground on a $12 million, 47,000-square-foot aviation hangar, and launching construction on “Phase 1” of its planned $67 million cargo infrastructure investment. The year also saw GCIA extend its long-term partnership with UPS to further boost its cargo capacity, and secure a $1.7 million FAA grant to design and engineer a new, state-of-the-art airport traffic control tower.

With simultaneous aircraft parking construction, major ramp development, and land acquisitions, GCIA is positioning itself as a critical hub for regional and national cargo operations, driving economic growth and job creation in Northwest Indiana.