View a PDF of all IIJA Frequently Asked Questions.

Title VIII of Division J Public Law 117-58 provides $25 Billion for the National Aerospace System (NAS). Five billion dollars will be administered  by FAA’s Air Traffic Organization (ATO) for much needed FAA facilities upgrades. FAA’s Office of Airports (ARP) will administer the remaining approximately $20 billion in grant funds for airport infrastructure, terminal development, including multimodal terminal development and on-airport rail access projects, and sponsor-owned towers.

The $25 billion comes directly from the U.S. Treasury’s General Fund.

Yes. Five billion dollars of Facilities and Equipment is being administered by ATO for improvements to FAA-owned facilities. ARP will administer approximately $20 billion of financial assistance funds to airport sponsors. This includes $15 billion of Airport Infrastructure Grants (AIG) and $5 billion for the Airport Terminal Program (ATP). The $20 billion is allocated over five years ($4 billion annually). Of the $20 billion made available for financial assistance, FAA will receive up to $118 million annually for administration of IIJA funds and the Office of Inspector General (OIG) will receive $2 million annually for oversight of IIJA funds.

(1)    AIG includes formula allocations (AIG Allocated) and competitive (FAA Contract Tower and AIG Funding Reallocation) funds of up to $14.45 billion. 

a)    AIG formula allocations-

• Primary Airports share not more than $2.48 billion annually based on enplanement and cargo volume. Nonprimary Airports share not more than $500 million annually, based on airport classification in the National Plan of Integrated Airport System (NPIAS) and the aggregated NPIAS eligible development cost for each classification.

b)    FAA Contract Tower-

• AIG provides $20 million annually in competitive grants (FAA Contract Tower) for sponsor-owned contract towers participating in the FAA Contract Tower Program and the Contract Tower Cost Share Program (FCT). These funds are available to: construct, repair, improve, rehabilitate, modernize, replace, or relocate an airport control tower; acquire and install air traffic control, communications, and related equipment in an airport control tower; and construct a remote tower certified by the FAA, including acquisition and installation of air traffic control, communications, or related equipment (to date, there is no FAA-certified remote tower technology). Starting in FY 2026, FAA will award FCT competitive grants for up to $100M per year. The FCT competitive grants will consist of AIG funds that remain unobligated at the end fourth fiscal year (FY) of their availability. For more information about unobligated AIG funding, please see Q-9 and F-3 below.

c)    AIG Funding Reallocation (AFR) Program-

• In FY 2026, a new competitive grant program will utilize unobligated AIG funds in the final year of availability. Per the statutory text of IIJA, eligible projects include those that reduce airport emissions, reduce noise impact to the surrounding community, reduce dependence on the electrical grid, or provide general benefits to the surrounding community.  For more information about AIG funds that remain unobligated at the end fourth FY of their availability, please see Q-9 and F-3 below.

(2)    ATP provides approximately $4.85 billion ($970 million annually) in grants, including multi-modal terminal development and on-airport rail access projects.

• These funds can also be used for projects for relocating, reconstructing, repairing, or improving a sponsor-owned air traffic control tower (ATCT) regardless of staffing. 
   

AIG Formula Infrastructure Allocations (AIG Allocated): Funds are available to sponsors of airports as defined in 47102 of title 49, United States Code (U.S.C.); that is, airport sponsors meeting statutory and policy requirements under this section and identified in the FAA’s published National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems  (NPIAS), updated with current year data, and are eligible to receive discretionary funds per 49 U.S.C. 47115.

FAA Contract Tower Competitive Infrastructure Funds (FCT Competitive): Funds are available to sponsors of airports eligible to receive discretionary funds per 49 U.S.C. 47115 and participating in the FCT program under 49 U.S.C. 47124.

AFR: Funds are available to sponsors of airports eligible to receive discretionary funds per 49 U.S.C. §47115.

ATP: Funds are available to sponsors of airports eligible to receive discretionary funds per 49 U.S.C. §47115.

All airports in the NPIAS, except unclassified airports, are eligible. Unclassified airports are not eligible for discretionary funding under IIJA.

AIG Allocated: Yes, but they do not receive an allocation. Only sponsors of airports in categories defined in 49 U.S.C. §47102 receive allocations. Airports must be included in the NPIAS to receive an allocation of AIG funds. Airports in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, and Midway Island are not included in the NPIAS. While these airport sponsors may be eligible for some AIP discretionary funding under 49 U.S.C. 47115, they are not eligible for AIG Allocated funds under IIJA.

    FCT: Yes. Funds are available to sponsors of airports eligible to receive discretionary funds per 49 U.S.C. §47115 and participating in the FCT program under 49 U.S.C. §47124. Airports in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, and Midway Island are eligible for discretionary funds. These sponsors could compete for FCT funding if they are accepted into the FCT program.

    AFR: Yes. Funds are available to sponsors of airports eligible to receive discretionary funds per 49 U.S.C. §47115. Airports in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, and Midway Island are eligible for discretionary funds.

    ATP: Yes. Funds are available to sponsors of airports eligible to receive discretionary funds per 49 U.S.C. §47115.  Airports in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, and Midway Island are eligible for discretionary funds.
 

Yes. Funds are available to sponsors of airports in categories defined in 49 U.S.C. 47102 and identified in the FAA’s published NPIAS, updated with current year data, and are eligible to receive discretionary funds per 49 U.S.C. 47115. Airports in U.S. territories (American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam) meet these requirements. They receive AIG Allocation funds based on their information in the NPIAS, can compete for FCT funds if in the FCT program, and can also compete for AFR and ATP funds.

Unclassified airports are not eligible for discretionary funds under IIJA (see Q-5). Also, consistent with their role in the national airport system, unclassified airports have no development needs identified in the published NPIAS, updated with current year data.

Approximately $2.91 billion (approximately $2.89 billion of AIG Allocated funds and $20 million FCT Competitive funds) is available annually starting fiscal year (FY) 2022 through FY 2026. AIG funds that remain unobligated at the end fourth FY of their availability will be recovered and made available for competitive AFR grants in the fifth year. See Q-F3.

*In order to meet the September 30th obligation deadline, the FAA has established the following annual deadlines: 

• May 1 – Deadline to notify FAA of your intent to use AIG funds in their fourth year of availability (e.g. FY2023, May 1, 2026 notification).
• June 30 – Sponsors must submit an application, based on bids, to the FAA for AIG projects that would use AIG funds in their fourth year of availability.
• After June 30 – During the last quarter of the FY, FAA will complete all obligations of AIG funds in their fourth year of availability and start the process of moving these unused AIG funds into the competitive programs (FCT and AFR) per the law. This includes issuing Notices of Intent to Fund for these discretionary programs.
   

Approximately $970 million of ATP funds are available annually starting in FY 2022 through FY 2026. Each FY of funding is available for five years. Funds not obligated (under grant) at the end of the fifth year will expire. This includes any funds recovered after grant closeout. 
    
Each Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) provides a date by which the grant funding must be obligated. This timeliness criteria ensures efficient obligation of ATP funding. The date is applicable to the respective ATP projects selected under that NOFO. Timeliness is a significant factor in selection of ATP projects.

This table represents the period of availability for FAA to obligate ATP funding prior to expiration. Sponsors must get selected projects under grant by the NOFO timeliness date to ensure funding.

AIG allocated funds over $100M that are not obligated after four years will be made available for the AFR. These funds will be available for one year (i.e. the fifth year of original availability) before being returned to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. This includes any funds recovered after grant closeout. 

Each NOFO provides a date by which projects selected for AFR funding must meet all statutory and administrative requirements to be able to receive a grant. This timeliness criteria ensures efficient obligation of AFR funding. Timeliness is a significant factor in selection of AFR projects.
 

When finalized, the Incentive Payment Policy, which covers early completion of construction contracts, will be applicable to IIJA in the same fashion as it applies to AIP.

No. In accordance with Secretary Duffy’s July 2nd letter, where and as consistent with law, FAA will not enforce compliance with any EO which was issued between January 20, 2021 and January 20, 2025 that references or relates in any way to climate change, “greenhouse gas” emissions, racial equality, gender identity, “diversity, equity, and inclusion” goals, environmental justice, or the Justice 40 Initiative. 

AIG Allocated:  Follow AIP process including projects in the CIP, submittal of the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance and other documents as required by FAA Airports Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) 6.00 and the local ADO or RO. 
    
FCT Competitive: For projects selected through the competitive process under the annual NOFO, follow AIP process including projects in the CIP, submittal of the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance and other documents as required by FAA Airports SOP 6.00 and the local ADO or RO.

AFR: For projects selected through the competitive process under the annual NOFO, follow AIP process including projects in the CIP, submittal of the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance and other documents as required by FAA Airports SOP 6.00 and the local ADO or RO.
    
ATP:  For projects selected through the competitive process under the annual NOFO, follow AIP process including projects in the CIP, submittal of the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance and other documents as required by FAA Airports SOP 6.00 and the local ADO or RO.

No. Separate applications are required for each fund type.  

FAA will use the existing U.S. Department of Transportation Delphi eInvoicing system for payment requests, following FAA’s payment policy.

ADOs will use AIP closeout process per FAA Airports SOP 10.00.  After the grant is closed, it remains subject to audit. The airport sponsor must retain grant documentation for three years after the grant is closed as required by 2 CFR 200.334.

IIJA allocates $14.45 billion into three programs - AIG Allocated, FCT, and AFR. AIG Allocated funds are specific, annual allocations to each eligible airport. These amounts are allocated separately for primary and nonprimary airports. FCT and AFR funds are awarded annually through a competitive NOFO process. 

(1)    AIG Allocated
There are four components to the AIG Allocation process. The first three components relate to allocating $2.39 billion to primary airports. The fourth component relates to allocating up to $500 million to nonprimary airports. 

Component 1: Primary Entitlement – Primary airports are allocated funds based on enplanements using the same step below with a minimum allocation of $1.3M as defined in 49 U.S.C. §47114(c)(1). This is the same methodology used by AIP except there is a minimum allocation and no maximum allocation. Allocations are based on the previous full calendar year (CY) for FY 2025 and FY 2026. 

Component 2: Cargo –NPIAS airports (both primary and nonprimary) with over 25 million pounds of cargo landed weight are allocated 4.0% of primary funding based on the airport’s proportion of the national total cargo landed weight. This is the same methodology used by AIP and is defined in 49 U.S.C. §47114(c)(2). 

Component 3: Primary Residual – Any remaining funding after primary entitlements and cargo allocations are allocated to primary airports based on the airport’s proportion of enplanements. Airports are allocated this funding based on the airport’s proportion of enplanements at all qualifying primary airports based on the prior full CY of enplanements.

Component 4: Nonprimary – Nonprimary airports are allocated funding proportionately based on development costs of all airports within that role. All airports with the same role are allocated the same amount.  Allocations are rounded up to the nearest $1,000. 

(2)    FCT
In accordance with the specific FY NOFO, sponsors of airports participating in the FCT program under 49 U.S.C. §47124 are eligible to compete for available FCT funding. Annual FCT funding for FYs 2022-2025 will be no more than $20 million. However, in FYs 2026-2030, the available funding will be for not more than $20-$120 million, depending on the amount of AIG funds that remain unobligated at the end fourth FY of their availability. See Q-F3 for more information.  
Instructions for applying for these funds will be outlined in a NOFO, which will be issued annually until the program expires.  Projects will be selected by FAA based on sponsor’s information submitted in response to the criteria as outlined in the NOFO.

(3)    AFR
Sponsors of primary and nonprimary airports eligible for discretionary funding under 49 U.S.C. §47115(a) are eligible to compete for available funding derived from unobligated AIG funding nearing expiration in excess of the $100 million provided to the FCT program as stipulated by law. See Q-F3 for more information. 
Instructions for applying for these funds will be outlined in a NOFO, which will be issued annually until the program expires.