FAA airport categories

FAA Airport Categories – JetOptions Private Jets Glossary

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) uses a structured classification system to categorize public-use airports in the United States. These categories help define the airport’s role in the national airspace system and determine eligibility for federal funding under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP).

This classification system is part of the FAA’s National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS). It includes traditional airports, heliports, seaplane bases, and other aviation facilities open to the public. These classifications are based on criteria such as commercial passenger traffic, service levels, and facility infrastructure.

Major FAA Airport Categories

The FAA divides airports into several key categories based on the volume and type of aviation activity:

• Primary Commercial Service Airports – Public airports receiving over 10,000 annual passenger boardings. These include major hubs like LAX, DFW, and MIA.
• Non-Primary Commercial Service Airports – Facilities with scheduled service and between 2,500 and 10,000 annual enplanements.
• Reliever Airports – High-capacity general aviation airports in major metro areas that reduce congestion at commercial airports (e.g., Van Nuys Airport near Los Angeles).
• General Aviation Airports – The largest group of public-use airports in the U.S., serving private, business, and recreational aviation.

Out of more than 19,600 airports in the United States, fewer than 20% are included in the NPIAS and eligible for AIP funding. Most of the remaining airports are private-use or non-included general aviation facilities.

Airport Improvement Program (AIP)

The AIP provides grants to public-use airports for projects that enhance safety, capacity, security, and environmental standards. These funds may be used for infrastructure upgrades like runway extensions, taxiway improvements, lighting systems, and terminal modernization. To receive funding, airports must fall within the FAA’s classification system and meet specific operational requirements.

Relevance to Private Jet Travel

At JetOptions, we frequently operate flights into all types of FAA-classified airports — from major commercial hubs to remote general aviation fields. Understanding airport categories helps our flight planning team select the most appropriate airport for your mission, based on runway length, FBO services, traffic volume, and proximity to your final destination.

Whether you’re flying into a large international gateway or a quiet rural airfield, JetOptions ensures the chosen airport meets the highest operational and safety standards for your flight.

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has a system for categorizing public-use airports (along with heliports and other aviation bases) primarily based on the level of commercial passenger traffic through each facility. It determines if an airport is eligible for funding through the federal government’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP).

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