USA Banner

Official US Government Icon

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure Site Icon

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

75 Years of Airport Grants

Airport Grants (1946 to 2021), May 13 1946, Federal Airport Act, President Harry Truman, $96 billion distributed, 82308 projects, Federal-Aid Airport Program, Airport Development Program, 1970, Airport Improvement Program, 1982, Nation on wings

On May 13, 1946, President Harry Truman signed the Federal Airport Act that established the Federal-Aid Airport Program, the first peacetime program of financial aid aimed exclusively at promoting development of the nation's civil airports.

Since that first award 75 years ago, the federal government has distributed $96 billion to fund 82,308 airport projects through three different grant programs: the original Federal-Aid Airport Program, the Federal Development Aid Program begun in 1970, and the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) since 1982.

Since the creation of the Airport Improvement Program, the federal government has distributed more than $90 billion in about 65,500 grants.

Last updated: Wednesday, August 3, 2022