Set on 1,080 acres along I-69C/US 281 at the city’s northern edge, South Texas International Airport at Edinburg (EBG/KEBG) has supported the region for more than 80 years. Today, it serves a wide range of users—law enforcement and military units, medevac providers, flight schools, international arrivals and departures, emergency responders, and commercial charters. On any given day, you’ll see everything from single-engine trainers and commuter aircraft to medium-lift helicopters and large business jets such as the Gulfstream IV.
The airport is expanding to match Edinburg’s momentum. Runway 14-32 is on track to extend from 5,000 to 6,000 feet, allowing larger aircraft tied to Edinburg commerce to land here rather than diverting to neighboring fields. With support from the Edinburg EDC, new airfield pavement is being added so local companies can construct their own hangars—opening the door for dozens more facilities and a larger based-aircraft community. The Department of Aviation is also recruiting diverse tenants and operators, growing private and commercial activity, building out air-cargo capability, and advancing aviation education in partnership with local colleges.
Investment and jobs are following. More than thirty full-time positions span public and private employers at the airport, a number that doubles when construction teams are counted during ongoing capital projects. Current and upcoming improvements total $24,722,224, including a 31,500-square-foot Department of Public Safety Aviation Division hangar targeted for completion by mid-Fall 2025; perimeter fence, gate, and access-control replacements in 2025–2026 through Community Project Funding; airfield upgrades from 2025–2027 that replace visual navigation aids and improve drainage with support from the 88th and 89th Legislature; and a 2026 terminal modernization backed by a federal grant to meet rising public demand. Performance tells the same story: EBG recorded 13,388 operations in 2024 and is tracking to 15,396 in 2025—a 15% increase. Based aircraft are expected to rise from 32 to 40 this year, a 25% gain. After years without on-field maintenance technicians, the first maintenance shop is planned by 2026—another sign of a growing ecosystem around the airport.
Connectivity will amplify these gains. State Highway 68 (SH 68) is designed to keep Edinburg moving forward. The planned corridor will run roughly 22 miles from I-69C/US 281 in Edinburg to I-2/US 83 in Donna, continuing to the future SH 365 in San Juan. In its first phase, SH 68 will be a four-lane divided highway with a median, built with the flexibility to add main lanes and overpasses as traffic increases. For our city, that means a new north–south option where choices are limited today, easing pressure on existing corridors and shortening trips to and from Edinburg’s employers, schools, medical centers, retail hubs—and our airport. As SH 68 ties into I-69C, I-2/US 83, and the future SH 365, the regional network becomes simpler and more direct. Once these connections are completed and open, all roads will lead to Edinburg, making it faster and safer for people and business activity to reach both the airport and the city.
The long-term vision is clear: complete master-planned infrastructure to host charter and unscheduled regional-jet service; support ad hoc air cargo for manufacturers and parcel carriers; expand pipelines for law-enforcement, military, and civilian flight training, including university and technical-college programs; and attract aeronautical manufacturing, including next-generation electric propulsion. For businesses and talent choosing Edinburg, EBG is more than a runway—it is a strategic platform connected to a road network built for what’s next.
Source: Expansion Solutions Magazine – Visit Expansion Solutions Magazine.
