Title 49 › Subtitle SUBTITLE VII— - AVIATION PROGRAMS › Part PART B— - AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT AND NOISE › Chapter CHAPTER 471— - AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT › § 47114
It explains how the federal airport money is split each fiscal year. Primary airports get payments based on how many passengers boarded there last year: $15.60 for each of the first 50,000 boardings, $10.40 for the next 50,000, $5.20 for the next 400,000, $1.30 for the next 500,000, and $1.00 for each additional boarding. No primary airport can get less than $1,300,000 or more than $22,000,000 in a year. A brand new airport with scheduled passenger service gets $1,300,000 in its first fiscal year. Smaller commercial service airports that are not primary get $60 for each of the first 2,500 boardings and $153.33 for each of the next 7,499. Airports that serve only cargo and have over 25,000,000 pounds of landed weight a year get 4% of the apportionable money, split by each airport’s share of that landed weight (measured in the prior calendar year). For fiscal year 2024, an airport’s payment is based on whichever year (2018, 2019, or the most recent full calendar year) gives the highest amount. For fiscal years 2025–2028, an airport that was a primary airport in 2017 and was used by an air reserve station in the calendar year used to calculate apportionments is treated as a primary airport. If total funding available is $3,200,000,000 or more, 25% of the apportionable money is set aside for noncommercial and reliever airports. Each such airport gets the smaller of $150,000 or one-fifth of its listed 5-year airport improvement cost; the rest is split to U.S. territories (0.62%) and to other states by population (49.69%) and area (49.69%). Alaska can be paid using an older 1980 method but must still meet minimums for primary airports and total Alaska funding; if total funding reaches $3,200,000,000 the Alaska amount is doubled. The Secretary may set technical rules like using state highway pavement standards for small airfields if safe, allow funds for regional airport planning, and give the $1,300,000 minimum to an airport that had service from a large certificated air carrier and more than 10,000 boardings. If a medium or large hub airport charges passengers under the law, its apportionment is reduced by part of the projected charge revenue (40% if the charge is $3.00 or less, 60% if more than $3.00), with special rules for Hawaii, and the reduction starts only after collections begin and if the airport has been a medium or large hub for three straight years. The Secretary must also apportion funds for Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories under these rules. Defined terms mentioned: “amount subject to apportionment” (the money made available under section 48103), “area” (land and water), “population” (from the latest U.S. census), and “landed weight” (the prior calendar year’s landed weight at the airport).
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Legislative History
Reference
Citation
49 U.S.C. § 47114
Title 49 — Transportation
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73