Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport is set to expand its cargo operations with a new 337,000-square-foot air cargo facility, a move that officials say will provide significant economic benefits for both the airport and the state of Wisconsin.
County leaders and airport staff gathered on Thursday to ceremonially break ground on the facility, which will be located on the site of the former 440th Airlift Wing at the airport’s southern end.
The project, a public-private partnership between Milwaukee County, Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, and developer Crow Holdings, will require the demolition of several existing structures, including a large aircraft hangar, to make way for the new development.
Once completed, the facility will be able to accommodate up to five Boeing 747 cargo aircraft simultaneously, enhancing Milwaukee’s competitiveness in the air freight sector.
Milwaukee Mitchell Airport Director Brian Dranzik highlighted the airport’s strategic location as a key advantage in attracting cargo traffic away from larger hubs in Illinois.
“We are uniquely situated here as we are to a major cargo hub that we can pull from some of that traffic,” Dranzik said.
Beyond boosting air cargo operations, Dranzik emphasized that the expansion could have positive ripple effects on passenger air service by helping to offset operational costs and making the airport more attractive to commercial airlines.
“That mix of traffic allows us to offset some of our other operational costs and make it more affordable for the air carriers to operate here and makes us more competitive for future service,” he added.
The new air cargo facility is expected to be completed by 2026, marking a major step forward in strengthening Milwaukee’s role as a regional logistics hub.