Dear Readers,
I am pleased to deliver “Modern Airports for a Stronger America: Unlocking Opportunities to Meet Soaring Demand,” ACI-NA’s 2025-2029 airport infrastructure needs report. This report underscores the critical role that U.S. airports play—not only as transportation gateways but also as indispensable engines of economic growth, community connectivity, and job creation nationwide.
Our analysis reaffirms that airports are at the very heart of our nation’s economic success, supporting 12.8 million jobs, generating $619 billion in annual payroll, and producing an annual economic output of $1.8 trillion. With nearly one billion enplanements expected in 2025 and forecasts rising to 1.4 billion by 2040 and 1.7 billion by 2050, the demand for modern, resilient airport facilities has never been more pressing.
To meet these growing demands, our report estimates that U.S. airports will require $173.9 billion in infrastructure investments over the next five years. This marks a significant increase from previous projections and reflects rising construction costs, emerging facility requirements, and the complexity of projects, particularly in our major metropolitan areas.
These investments are crucial not only for modernizing terminals and airfields but also for implementing vital improvements across landside facilities, utility systems, and technological platforms, all of which enhance the traveler experience and drive down airfares.
Federal grant initiatives have been invaluable in helping America’s airports construct and maintain essential safety and capacity projects. But federal funding alone cannot address all the many airport needs across the country. Instead, we need to allow airports more flexibility to self-fund their projects. As this report details, the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) user fee has lost much of its purchasing power over the past two decades. Modernizing the PFC cap – and indexing it for inflation – is the best way to align user-fee revenue with the true cost of delivering the state-of-the-art airports our passengers need and deserve.
It is imperative that we pursue these policy reforms and expand funding flexibility to empower local airports. By doing so, we ensure that our airports can continue to serve as reliable hubs for travel and commerce, support job creation, and help achieve our broader environmental and economic objectives.
I extend my sincere gratitude to all ACI-NA’s member airports for their contributions to this report. Our team at ACI-NA will continue engaging with the White House, Congress, federal agencies, and industry stakeholders to encourage the implementation of these necessary reforms, ensuring that we meet the airport industry’s infrastructure needs and secure a resilient future for American aviation.
Kevin M. Burke
President and CEO
Airports Council International – North America
Airport Infrastructure Needs by State
Regulatory burdens, inflation, and increased costs have hamstrung airports for decades and continue to constrain the industry’s ability to invest in infrastructure. When the Passenger Facility Charge user fee is maxed out, airports aren’t able to fund needed infrastructure projects that help the airport keep pace with growth in passenger and cargo volume.
