America's Extensive Aviation Network: Airports Count And Capacity

America has a lot of airports. According to the 2011-2015 National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS), there are over 19,700 airports in the country. This includes both public and private airports, as well as military airports. The number of public airports has decreased since 1990, while the number of private airports has increased. In 2022, there were 5,193 public airports and 14,776 private airports in the US.

Public vs private airports

The number of airports in the US is vast, and they are broken down into several lists, including public-use and military airports in each state and territory.

Public-use airports are defined by the FAA as airports that are "available for use by the general public without a requirement for prior approval of the airport owner or operator". The number of public-use airports in the US has decreased since 1990, with 5,193 public airports in 2022, down from 5,589 in 1990.

However, the number of private airports has increased over the same period, from 11,901 in 1990 to 14,776 in 2022. Private airports require prior approval from the owner or operator before use.

Publicly owned, public-use airports are owned by the public and can be used by anyone at any time. An example is KFTW (Ft Worth Mecham), which is owned by the City of Ft Worth and maintained through public funds. Anyone can land there at any time, and the city must allow reasonable use of the airport. The Fixed-Base Operator (FBO) can charge for parking and fuel but cannot block anyone from using the runway.

Privately owned, public-use airports do not receive public funds. An example is T67 (Hicks Airfield) near Ft Worth, which is owned by an HOA representing people who own hangars on the field. There are usually some restrictions on activities, but anyone can land there without prior permission.

Privately owned, private-use airports are entirely private property, and landing there without prior permission is considered trespassing and can be charged as such. An example is TA11, the base of the Texas Soaring Association, where members can fly their planes in with permission.

Public-private partnerships (P3s) are also becoming more common in the US. These are long-term contracts where private entities assume certain responsibilities for public assets, such as building, financing, operating, and maintaining them. P3s allow local governments to transfer financial risk and incorporate private sector innovations and investments without fully privatizing public infrastructure.

Busiest airports by passenger numbers

The number of airports in the US varies depending on the type of airport. As of 2023, there were 1,251 airports in total, including Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and US Pacific Trust Territories and Possessions. This number includes both public and private airports.

In 2022, there were 5,193 public airports in the US, a decrease from the 5,589 public airports operating in 1990. On the other hand, the number of private airports increased from 11,901 in 1990 to 14,776 in 2022.

Now, here's an overview of the busiest US airports by passenger numbers:

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

With 45.4 million passengers, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta is the busiest airport in the US. It handles a staggering 337,023 flights per year, which equates to nearly 1,000 flights per day. This makes Atlanta not only the busiest airport in the US but also one of the busiest airports in the world.

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is the second-busiest airport in the US, with 35.3 million passengers. It is also one of the largest airports in the country.

Denver International Airport (DEN)

Denver International Airport ranks as the third busiest airport in the US, with 33.7 million passengers. It is the largest airport in the US in terms of land area, featuring vast stretches of land with plenty of room for future expansion.

Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)

Chicago O'Hare International Airport serves 33.1 million passengers, making it the fourth busiest airport in the US. It is also one of the largest airports in the country, with multiple runways and terminals to accommodate high air traffic volume.

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

Rounding out the top five busiest US airports is Los Angeles International Airport, with 32.3 million passengers. It is also one of the busiest airports in the world for international passengers.

New York JFK International Airport (JFK)

New York's primary airport, JFK International, handles 26.9 million passengers, making it the sixth busiest airport in the US. It is also one of the main gateways for international travel, ranking highly in international passenger traffic.

Other Notable Airports

The list of busy airports continues with Las Vegas International Airport (25.3 million passengers), Orlando International Airport (24.4 million), Miami International Airport (23.7 million), Charlotte Douglas International Airport (23.1 million), and Seattle International Airport (22.1 million).

Primary airports

The US has a large number of airports, which are divided into public-use and military airports in each state and territory. Airports in the United States that provide scheduled passenger services and have over 10,000 passenger boardings per year are classified as primary airports by the Federal Aviation Administration.

In 2022, there were 5,193 public airports in the US, a decrease from the 5,589 public airports operating in 1990. However, the number of private airports increased from 11,901 to 14,776 during the same period.

The primary airports are further classified by the FAA into four "hub" types:

• Large hub: Accounts for at least 1% of total US passenger enplanements (generally 18,500,000 total passengers and above).
• Medium hub: Accounts for between 0.25% and 1% of total US passenger enplanements (generally 3,500,000-18,500,000 total passengers).
• Small hub: Accounts for between 0.05% and 0.25% of total US passenger enplanements (generally 500,000-3,500,000 total passengers).
• Nonhub: Accounts for less than 0.05% of total US passenger enplanements but more than 10,000 annual enplanements.

Alabama:

• Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport
• Dothan Regional Airport
• Huntsville International Airport (Carl T. Jones Field)
• Mobile Regional Airport
• Montgomery Regional Airport (Dannelly Field)

Alaska:

• Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport
• Bethel Airport (also see Bethel Seaplane Base)
• Merle K. (Mudhole) Smith Airport
• Deadhorse Airport (Prudhoe Bay Airport)
• Fairbanks International Airport
• Juneau International Airport
• Kenai Municipal Airport
• Ketchikan International Airport
• Klawock Airport (also see Klawock Seaplane Base)
• Kodiak Airport (Benny Benson State Airport)
• Ralph Wien Memorial Airport
• Petersburg James A. Johnson Airport
• Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport
• Unalaska Airport (Tom Madsen/Dutch Harbor Airport)
• Wiley Post–Will Rogers Memorial Airport
• Wrangell Airport (also see Wrangell Seaplane Base)
• Yakutat Airport (also see Yakutat Seaplane Base)

Arizona:

• Flagstaff Pulliam Airport
• Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport (formerly Williams AFB)
• Page Municipal Airport
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
• Prescott Municipal Airport (Ernest A. Love Field)
• Tucson International Airport
• Yuma International Airport / MCAS Yuma

Arkansas:

• Northwest Arkansas National Airport
• Fort Smith Regional Airport
• Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (Adams Field) (was Little Rock National)
• Texarkana Regional Airport (Webb Field)

California:

• California Redwood Coast–Humboldt County Airport
• Hollywood Burbank Airport
• Fresno Yosemite International Airport
• Long Beach Airport (Daugherty Field)
• Los Angeles International Airport
• Monterey Regional Airport
• Oakland International Airport
• Ontario International Airport
• Palm Springs International Airport
• Redding Regional Airport
• Sacramento International Airport
• San Diego International Airport
• San Francisco International Airport
• San Jose International Airport
• San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (McChesney Field)
• Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (Santa Barbara Airport)
• Santa Maria Public Airport (Capt G. Allan Hancock Field)
• Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport
• Stockton Metropolitan Airport

Military airports

The United States has a large number of airports, which are divided into public-use and military airports. Military airports are not included in the count of public and private airports, which stood at 5,193 public airports and 14,776 private airports in 2022.

The number of military airports in the US is not readily available. However, a source lists various military airports across the country, indicating that there are several military airports in each state.

Domestic flights

The United States has an extensive air transportation network, with a large number of airports catering to domestic flights. In 2022, there were 5,193 public airports in the US, a decrease from the 5,589 public airports operating in 1990. These public airports are defined by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as airports available for use by the general public without prior approval from the airport owner or operator. This does not refer to ownership, as most major airports are publicly owned.

The number of domestic passengers carried by major US airlines has been consistently increasing over the last decade. This is despite a decline in the number of regional flights, particularly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As of 2020, there were 5,217 airports designated as "public use", which includes airports used for general aviation and other activities.

Due to the vast geography of the US and the large distances between major cities, air travel is the preferred mode of transportation for trips over 300 miles. For shorter distances, such as in the Northeastern part of the country, rail travel is a more popular option.

The busiest airport for domestic flights in the US is Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which also happens to be the busiest airport in the world by passenger numbers. In 2021, it served 93.7 million passengers and is only 8.2 miles from Atlanta, making it a convenient option for travellers.

Other major airports with a high volume of domestic flights include:

• Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Texas
• Denver International Airport, Colorado
• O'Hare International Airport, Illinois
• Los Angeles International Airport, California
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport, North Carolina
• John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York
• Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Washington
• Harry Reid International Airport, Nevada
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Arizona

Frequently asked questions