Beating the heat: How airports are upgrading runways to adapt to rising temperatures – International Society for Concrete Pavements

As climate change fuels increasingly severe summer heatwaves, airport runways across the globe are struggling under high temperatures, creating severe operational disruptions and flight delays. Over 80% of U.S. airport runways are constructed with asphalt due to its low initial cost, quick repair times, and thermal flexibility under normal weather conditions. However, extreme temperatures cause asphalt to soften, warp, and lift, leading to dangerous rutting on critical landing strips. High-profile incidents—such as the 2022 runway lift at London’s Luton Airport during 95°F heat and a 2012 tarmac incident at Reagan National Airport where a plane’s landing gear became stuck—highlight how vulnerable traditional paving materials are to extreme weather.

To combat heat-induced runway deformation, major aviation hubs in chronically hot regions are turning to concrete as a durable, heat-resistant alternative writes Caitlin Kaiser for the Weather Channel. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, among other major Southwestern hubs, relies on concrete runways to maintain smooth, uninterrupted operations throughout peak summer months. Unlike asphalt, concrete maintains its rigid structural integrity under extreme thermal stress, eliminating the risk of surface softening. Despite these clear operational advantages, concrete carries significantly higher upfront installation costs, making it a difficult investment for regional transit centers to implement quickly.

This cost barrier creates a stark divide in infrastructure resilience between large international hubs and smaller regional facilities. Smaller airports, such as Palm Springs and Flagstaff, continue to rely on traditional asphalt pavements due to tighter capital budgets, leaving them disproportionately vulnerable to summer heat disruptions. As rising global temperatures bring unprecedented heatwaves to non-traditional markets, air travelers outside major concrete-paved hubs face an increasing risk of climate-related delays. Upgrading airfield infrastructure to heat-resistant materials will be essential for maintaining reliable air travel networks nationwide.