The Trump administration has announced a sweeping $1 billion initiative aimed at transforming the airport experience for families, promising a return to what officials described as a “Golden Age” of travel.
The plan was unveiled on Monday at Washington National Airport (DCA) by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who set out a wide-ranging programme intended to make aviation “happier, healthier and easier” for parents travelling with children.
Speaking at the launch, Duffy said the White House had been inundated with feedback from families who found modern air travel increasingly stressful. He said the new initiative would support airports across the United States in redesigning terminals to include dedicated family spaces for young children, private areas for nursing mothers, upgraded wayfinding and facilities that reduce the strain on passengers navigating terminals with strollers and luggage.
A significant component of the programme focuses on airport food provision, an issue Kennedy highlighted with pointed criticism. Having travelled extensively for three decades, he said American airports had become “where healthy diets go to die”, describing the typical fare on offer as dominated by deep-fried meals, ultra-processed snacks and “sugar bombs”. He argued that millions of passengers were being exposed daily to food that “tastes very good, but is not very good for you”, adding that the administration would work with both airports and private sector partners to increase access to nutritious choices.
The press conference also featured an unconventional attempt to demonstrate the administration’s commitment to healthier travel: both Duffy and Kennedy performed pull-ups in the terminal, cheered on by spectators. They were joined by health influencer Paul Saladino, who suggested that airports should install compact exercise spaces, describing the idea as one that consistently generated enthusiasm among the public.
The initiative, branded “Make Travel Family Friendly Again”, reflects a broader political effort by the Trump administration to position itself as a champion of everyday travellers at a time when airport overcrowding, high food prices and inconsistent amenities have become common frustrations. Duffy insisted that the programme would “make every stage of the travel journey more seamless”, while Kennedy emphasised that promoting healthier environments for the three million Americans who pass through airports each day was long overdue.
Industry observers are now watching to see how quickly the funding can be allocated and whether the policy will lead to measurable improvements for passengers or remain largely symbolic. Airports have yet to confirm which terminals will adopt the new standards, though officials suggested that many are eager to participate.
For now, the administration is hoping its message lands with families weary of the realities of contemporary air travel. As Duffy put it, creating a new golden age “has to involve making the family travel experience happier and healthier”.