By Margarida Barbosa, Consultant, Airports Council International – North America
This April, Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA) is celebrating our airport professionals who have taken the time to continue their aviation education. The U.S. Airport Professional (USAP) Program is an e-Learning training curriculum for airport industry professionals accredited by Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA). After completing the Program individuals will be awarded the U.S. Airport Professional (USAP) designation.
The U.S. Airport Professional (USAP) Program covers a full range of current airport management topics such as leadership development, business strategy, commercial management, finance, operations, safety, security, and air service.
Airport Professionals from around the United States have taken the program to help them grow and advance in their career. If you are interested in learning more about the USAP program, please visit https://airportscouncil.org/usap/.
Check out the experience of ACI-NA’s Margarida Barbosa with the USAP program!
How has the USAP program helped you in your day-to-day work?
The USAP program gave me a much clearer understanding of how the U.S. airport system operates, especially in areas that differ from European frameworks such as funding models, regulatory structures, and governance. Having that context has made it easier to interpret U.S. aviation terminology, policies, and stakeholder dynamics in my daily work. It’s also helped me communicate more confidently with U.S.-based colleagues and partners.
What advice would you give someone who is interested in the USAP certification?
I would encourage them to go for it, especially if they work with U.S. airports or global aviation stakeholders. The program is very accessible, and it strikes a good balance between practical knowledge and broader industry context. My advice would be to set a realistic study pace, make use of the supplementary materials, and approach it with curiosity. There’s a lot of valuable insight even if you already have aviation experience.
What challenges did you have in getting certified?
Coming from a European airport background, some aspects, like funding mechanisms (AIP, PFCs), the FAA’s regulatory role, and the structure of airport ownership, were quite different from what I was used to. It took a bit of extra time to connect those dots, but once I understood the underlying framework, everything came together smoothly.
As someone who studied aviation, how did this supplement your education?
Studying aviation gave me a strong foundation, but the USAP program added a layer of specialization that I didn’t have before. It provided real-world context on how U.S. airports make decisions, secure funding, maintain compliance, and work with federal agencies. In many ways, it filled in the practical and policy-oriented side of the industry that academic programs often only touch on briefly. It also broadened my global understanding of how differently aviation systems can be structured.
How long did it take you to get certified?
I started in July and finished my certification in December. I did not rush the course, and its flexibility allowed me to work at my own pace to be sure that it fit within my own schedule.
What is something fun that you learned during the certification process that you did not already know?
One fun discovery was how unique some aspects of airport funding and governance are, particularly the Passenger Facility Charge system and the way local authorities operate airports. It was interesting to see how these structures influence airport development and passenger experience in ways that aren’t immediately obvious. It gave me a new appreciation for how diverse global airport management approaches can be.
Margarida is a final-year BSc Aviation Management student at Coventry University with hands-on industry experience gained during a placement year at ACI–North America in Washington, D.C.
Since returning from her placement, Margarida has been focused on research exploring non‑aeronautical revenue diversification and financial resilience at U.S. airports following periods of shock, alongside working remotely as a consultant for ACI‑NA.