The Trump administration has launched a new initiative to “make travel family friendly again” by allocating up to $1 billion in grant funding for airports nationwide. The effort, announced Monday at Reagan National Airport, aims to improve the travel experience through family-friendly resources and healthier food options.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. detailed the program during a press conference, stating that grants can be used for play areas for children, nursing pods for breastfeeding mothers, workout spaces, and dedicated security lanes for families.
“I typically spend about 250 days a year in airports over the past 30 years,” Kennedy said. “And I can tell you this is where healthy diets go to die.”
Kennedy criticized airport food as “deep-fried food; sugar bombs; ultra-processed foods” that leave travelers sicker than before they eat them. Duffy noted the grant program allows airports to propose various improvements and emphasized the department’s openness to additional suggestions. “It’s pretty wide open on what airports want to ask for a grant,” he stated.
The administration also highlighted Farmer’s Fridge, a company operating vending machines at over 30 U.S. airports that offers salads, sandwiches, bowls, and oats. Luke Saunders, CEO of Farmer’s Fridge, attended the press conference and explained he founded the company 12 years ago. Duffy added his department recently hired an integrator to convert air travel technology from analog to digital. Additionally, in November, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced plans for new security screening lanes at select airports for families with small children, veterans, and active-duty military. The administration has also reached out to airlines to encourage improvements to the travel experience.
