Airport Investment Partnership Program, formerly Airport Privatization Pilot Program

Congress established the Airport Investment Partnership Program (formerly Airport Privatization Pilot Program) in 1997 to explore privatization as a means of generating access to various sources of private capital for airport improvement and development. The Act authorized FAA to permit up to five public airport sponsors to sell or lease an airport with certain restrictions and to exempt the sponsor from certain federal requirements that could otherwise make privatization impractical. Private companies may own, manage, lease, and develop public airports. The 2012 Reauthorization Act increased the number of airports than can participate from 5 to 10. The 2018 Reauthorization Act renamed the program the Airport Investment Partnership Program and removed the restriction on the number and type of public airports that may participate in the program. The 2018 Reauthorization Act also permitted public sponsors and private operators to manage an airport jointly. It also permit a public sponsor to privatize multiple airports owned by the same sponsor. The airport owner or leaseholder may be exempt from repayment of federal grants, return of property acquired with federal assistance, and the use of proceeds from the airport's sale or lease to be used exclusively for airport purposes.

As of June 2020, there are two airports in the program:

  • Approved:
    • Luís Muñoz Marín International Airport
    • Hendry County Airglades Airport

Fact Sheet, Procedures, and Information

Applications
Most Recent Action Airport Name Airport Location Application Status Docket Number
2023 Avon Park Executive Airport Avon Park, FL Final application submitted FAA-2023-1724
2020 St. Louis Lambert International Airport St. Louis, MO Preliminary application withdrawn May 28, 2020 FAA-2017-0325
2019 Hendry County Airglades Airport Clewiston, FL Preliminary application approved October 18, 2010. Final application submitted August 8, 2019. Record of Decision was issued September 30, 2019. FAA-2010-1052
2019 Westchester County Airport White Plains, NY Preliminary application accepted December 2, 2016; Application withdrawn March 1, 2019 FAA-2016-9477
2013 Chicago Midway International Airport Chicago, IL Preliminary application withdrawn September 9, 2013 FAA-2013-0011
2013 Luís Muñoz Marín International Airport San Juan, Puerto Rico Preliminary application approved December 22, 2009. Airport Sponsor published a Request for Qualifications in July 2011. Sponsor selected Aerostar Airport Holdings on July 19, 2012, to become the private operator. The FAA held a public meeting on September 28, 2012, to hear comments on the final preliminary application. The FAA approved the final application to privatize Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on February 25, 2013. FAA-2009-1144
2012 Gwinnett County Briscoe Field Lawrenceville, GA Application withdrawn June 11, 2012 FAA-2010-0473
2010 Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport New Orleans, LA Application withdrawn October 21, 2010 FAA-2009-0830
2008 New Orleans Lakefront Airport New Orleans, LA Application terminated 2008 FAA-2003-14246
2007 Stewart International Airport Newburgh, NY The first commercial service airport to participate in the FAA's privatization program from March 2000 to October 2007. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey now operates the airport. FAA-2003-14961
2001 Brown Field Municipal Airport San Diego, CA Application withdrawn 2001  
2001 Niagara Falls International Airport Niagara Falls, NY Application withdrawn 2001 FAA-2003-14954
2001 Rafael Hernández Airport Aguadilla, PR Application withdrawn 2001  

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Last updated: Tuesday, September 26, 2023