Las Cruces International Airport unveils master plan emphasizing runways, terminal upgrades and industrial‑park links

Andy Hume, director of Las Cruces International Airport, presented the newly completed airport master plan to the Las Cruces City Council at the March 24, 2025 work session and outlined a multi‑part vision for airport growth tied to an adjacent industrial/innovation park.

Hume said the master plan began with a vision — "Las Cruces International Airport is a thriving, well‑connected aviation and commercial aerospace gateway to the city of Las Cruces, the region and beyond, providing access and economic opportunity" — and eight guiding principles that shaped facility needs and capital projects. He described a robust public outreach process including open houses, coordinating‑committee meetings and advisory board review.

Key facility items in the plan include runway extensions (notably Runway 12/30 and Runway 8/26), taxi‑lane and utility extensions to support hangar development, a terminal renovation and parking expansion with TSA/security requirements, and rehabbing a runway (identified in the presentation as a project already under design with state and New Mexico Department of Transportation funding). Hume said the city has already secured more than $19,000,000 in outside funding for airport projects to date but that total is small compared with long‑term needs.

Hume told council two principal barriers to attracting new regional‑jet service were a terminal that meets TSA and carrier needs and availability of a minimum revenue guarantee (MRG) to underwrite routes until load factors improve. He suggested a transitional solution: retrofit an existing city‑owned hangar with an addition as an interim terminal, and said that retrofit was the origin of an approximate $6,000,000 cost estimate shown in the plan materials. Hume noted the airport’s current runway length and instrument landing capabilities can support regional jets; he said a control tower is not needed at present because the airport records roughly 35,000–40,000 operations annually, well below thresholds typically associated with tower requirements.

Councilors asked operational and budget questions. Councilor Matisse pressed Hume on barriers to new routes (terminal and MRG). Councilor Grant asked when firefighting capacity would need to increase; Hume said that moving to regional‑jet service would require an airport rescue and firefighting (ARFF) index upgrade (index B), additional equipment and likely more personnel. Councilor Flores and others expressed support for pursuing the industrial‑park/airport economic development link; Elizabeth Teeters, the city’s economic development director, confirmed coordination with the industrial park and said staff are exploring the north side of the park for future development that could benefit from airport access.

Ending: Hume said there was no council action on the plan at the work session and that staff will work with the city clerk and administration to schedule adoption. He said the airport will continue pursuing FAA, state and legislative funding opportunities and will follow the plan’s recommended next steps, including an update to its strategic business plan and implementation of multiple CIP documents maintained by airport staff.