$1 billion initiative aims to make airports easier and healthier for families
Federal officials highlight need for kid-friendly spaces, nursing rooms, and better screening options
Effort builds on Secretary Duffy’s Thanksgiving push for more civil, compassionate air travel
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has introduced a new initiative designed to make American airports friendlier for families, expanding on the “Make Travel Family Friendly Again” campaign he previewed during his Thanksgiving weekend call for more civil air travel.
The announcement comes as airports prepare for one of the busiest travel seasons of the year and as public frustration over the difficulties of traveling with children continues to grow.
At the center of the effort is a $1 billion federal investment to incentivize airports to create more family-centric spaces and services. The funding can be used for a wide range of improvements, including children’s play zones, exercise areas, dedicated family screening lanes, mothers’ rooms or nursing pods, and sensory rooms designed to support children with special needs.
Duffy emphasized that airports will have flexibility to propose “creative terminal projects” that meaningfully improve the travel experience for parents and kids alike.
Public-private effort
The campaign launch brought together federal leaders and private-sector partners, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nutrition specialist Dr. Paul Saladino, content creator and young mother Isabel Brown, and Farmer’s Fridge founder Luke Saunders. Their presence underscored the administration’s broader goal: pairing infrastructure upgrades with expanded access to healthy, convenient food options in terminals nationwide.
“Bringing about a Golden Age in travel has to involve making the family travel experience happier and healthier,” Duffy said.
Kennedy echoed that message, arguing that fresh, whole foods should be as accessible during a long layover as they are at home.
‘Healthy eating is part of daily life’
“Secretary Duffy and I are working to ensure our airports set the standard for a future where healthy eating is part of daily life—travel days included,” Kennedy said.
The agencies pointed to the rising popularity of grab-and-go healthy vending options, such as Farmer’s Fridge, as evidence that travelers are eager for better food choices. They urged airport operators to seize the moment by expanding partnerships and rethinking outdated concession models.
The initiative builds on Duffy’s recent holiday-travel messaging, in which he urged airlines, airports, and passengers to take steps toward making air travel more courteous and humane.