Tulsa International Airport Gets Facelift With Local Twist

Tulsa International Airport is getting a facelift but with a local twist. Travelers began seeing changes in the kinds of businesses and restaurants at TIA on May 1.

The airport transformation is designed to give travelers a little taste of Tulsa. 

It's out with the old and in with some Green Country favorites at Tulsa International Airport.

TIA employees are happy to have a little piece of home with them while they are working. 

In the next few months, the airport is getting rid of franchises like Starbucks and replacing them with local favorites, like Cherry Street Beer Garden, Fat Guys Burger Bar and Topeca Coffee.

"It's important that we recognize that that's important to our local community," said TIA Marketing Director Alexis Higgins.

But, they are keeping a few nationally known vendors and even adding a few like Chili's.

"The majority of our customers this time of year are not from Tulsa," Higgins said. "They are coming in for meetings, conferences, events and that's why those national brands are important to us as well."

Higgins projects the finished project will raise the airport's food, beverage, and retail revenue by nearly 70 percent and those economic benefits could affect everyone from airport employees to travelers. 

"The more money we make from non-airline revenue sources then the lower the costs are to the airlines," Higgins said. 

The airport hopes to have the majority of work finished by the end of the year.