Airport Categories: Four Distinct Types For Efficient Aviation Management

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has a system for categorizing public-use airports, heliports, and other aviation bases based on the level of commercial passenger traffic. The four categories are: primary airports, non-primary airports, reliever airports, and cargo service airports. These categories are used to determine eligibility for funding through the federal government's Airport Improvement Program (AIP).

Primary airports

Non-hub primary airports

Non-hub primary airports handle more than 10,000 passengers per year but fewer than 0.05% of the country's annual passenger boardings. These airports are typically found in smaller cities and rural areas, providing flight availability to people outside of major metropolitan areas.

Small hub primary airports

Small hub primary airports account for 0.05-0.25% of the country's annual passenger boardings.

Medium hub primary airports

Medium hub primary airports handle between 0.25% and 1% of the country's annual passenger boardings.

Large hub primary airports

Large hub primary airports handle over 1% of the country's annual passenger boardings. These airports are typically large, well-known airports such as John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City or Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Non-primary airports

Non-primary commercial service airports are publicly owned and receive scheduled passenger services, with at least 2,500 passenger boardings each calendar year. These boardings refer to revenue passengers on an aircraft in service, regardless of whether it is a scheduled or unscheduled service. It also includes international flights that stop at an airport for non-traffic purposes, such as refueling or maintenance.

Reliever airports are a type of non-primary airport that serves to offload small aircraft traffic from hub airports in the region. These are typically large general aviation airports located in metropolitan areas. Reliever airports account for about 10% of AIP-funded airports.

General aviation airports are at the bottom end of the FAA's airport categories. To qualify for AIP funding, these airports must have at least 10 aircraft based there but handle fewer than 2,500 scheduled passengers each year. This results in little to no commercial airline traffic, with most aircraft being small and operated by individuals or private entities. Nearly three-quarters of AIP-funded airports are general aviation airports.

The FAA's classification system is primarily based on the level of commercial passenger traffic and helps determine eligibility for funding through the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). While most airports that qualify for AIP funding are commercial service airports, non-primary airports still make up over 15% of AIP-funded airports in the US.

Reliever airports

In the United States, for an airport to qualify as an FAA-designated reliever, it must have 100 or more based aircraft or 25,000 annual itinerant operations. Reliever airports are publicly or privately owned.

Commercial service airports

Primary commercial service airports are airports with more than 10,000 passenger boardings each year. Examples of primary airports include John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport, and Los Angeles International Airport. However, primary airports also include airports in smaller cities and regional airports meant to provide flight availability to people in more rural regions.

Non-primary commercial service airports are identified with a role in the national airport system based on their activity. Five roles are utilized: National, Regional, Local, Basic, and Unclassified. These airports handle between 2,500 and 10,000 passengers annually.

Cargo service airports

Airports are categorised based on the functions they serve for passengers, cargo, and the economy. The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has a system for classifying public-use airports, heliports, and other aviation bases based on the level of commercial passenger traffic.

Additionally, cargo service airports contribute significantly to the local and national economy by creating employment opportunities and promoting trade. They also enhance the efficiency of businesses that rely on timely and reliable delivery of goods, benefiting industries such as e-commerce, automotive, and pharmaceuticals.

Frequently asked questions