Runway Paving Completed at Antigua’s V.C. Bird International Airport

Antigua and Barbuda: Runway paving is completed at V.C. Bird International Airport in St. John’s, Antigua. The US$50 million airfield rehabilitation project is now nearing completion after this milestone is achieved.

The Antigua and Barbuda Authority announced that the paving work on Runway 07-25 has been finished. And it has restored the airport’s primary runway with a new asphalt surface. It is specifically designed to improve safety, increase durability and strengthen the airport’s ability to accommodate larger aircrafts.

The project has reached substantial completion as the full completion is expected on September 6, 2026, according to the Airport Authority.

This rehabilitation project that is ongoing at the country’s main international airport is one of the largest airfield infrastructure upgrades. The main goal is to bring the runway in line with international aviation safety standards. It will also help in extending the lifespan of one of the airport’s most important assets.

One of the major improvements at the airport was the construction of a new Runway End Safety Area (RESA), which is at the end of the runway near the coastline. To create a safety zone that complies with the international safety standards, runway pavement of approximately 130 metres was removed. Even though this has slightly reduced the available runway length, it significantly improves the protection for aircrafts during takeoffs and landings. The Airport Authority said that this change will provide a safer overrun area.

Construction of a 7,420-square-metre turning bay was also part of the project. And a new blast pad was also constructed to better accommodate wide-body aircraft. Along with that, an adjacent service road was also built to improve accessibility for airfield maintenance and ground operations.

The runway now has a multi-layer asphalt surface which is capable of handling aircraft loads while also improving long-term performance.

Construction on the V.C. Bird International Airport was carried out in phases so that the airport's operations also continued throughout the rehabilitation process. Temporary runways and alternate turning areas were introduced during different stages of the project. This helped in minimising disruptions to commercial flights while the construction work progressed.

According to the Airport Authority, the project achieved substantial completion on July 6, 2026. Now the authorities will focus on final project close-out activities before the scheduled completion on September 6.

The airport has now reached one of the most significant milestones in the rehabilitation programme after the completion of the runway paving. After the remaining works are completed the upgraded airport will provide improved safety, better operational efficiency, and enhanced capacity. This will help in supporting Antigua and Barbuda’s aviation sector for years to come.