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. 
 

Sponsors of primary and non-primary airports eligible for discretionary funding under 49 U.S.C. 47115(a) are eligible to share approximately $970 million annually. Not more than 55% of these funds go to large hub airports, not more than 15% go to medium hub airports, not more than 20% go to small hub airports, and not less than 10% go to non-hub and non-primary airports. 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.

AIG funds that remain unobligated at the end fourth FY of their availability will be made available for the FCT program and the AFR program. Airport Sponsors must submit applications based on bids for AIG allocation grants by June 30th of the fourth FY for each annual AIG allocation to meet the obligation deadline, as noted in Q-09.  

Funds recovered after the fifth FY will return to the General Fund.
 

Funds not obligated at the end of the fifth fiscal year will expire. ATP funds recovered prior to the end of the fifth fiscal year can be used to amend open ATP grants or made available for new ATP grants based on a competitive process. At the end of the fifth fiscal year, any unobligated or recovered funds will return to the General Fund.

AIG  Allocated: The Federal share is the same as for AIP grants, ranging from 50% to 95%, as outlined in 49 U.S.C. §47109 (for further explanation of the statutory provision, see Section 4-9 of FAA Order 5100.38D, Change 1 (AIP Handbook)). This includes grants using unobligated AIG funds for projects not related to FCTs. See Q-F3.

The 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act provided a time limited change to the Federal share for nonhub or nonprimary airports. For FYs 2025 and 2026, the Federal share for AIG grants to these airports has increased from 90% to 95%.

FCT: The Federal share for FCT improvements is 100%. This includes grants using unobligated AIG funds for FCT projects. See Q-F3. 

AFR: The Federal share for AFR projects is the same as those for AIG grants. 

ATP: The Federal share for terminal and sponsor-owned ATCT improvements is 80% for large and medium hub airports and 95% for small hub, nonhub, and nonprimary airports. 
 

AIG Allocated: Yes. The sponsor’s match is the same as for sponsor’s AIP grants, ranging from 5% to 50%. This includes grants made using unobligated AIG funds for projects not related to FCT. See Q-F3.

FCT Competitive: No. The Federal share for FCT improvements is 100%. This includes grants made using unobligated AIG funds for FCT projects. See Q-F3.

AFR: Yes. The Federal share for AFR projects is the same as those for AIG grants.

ATP: Yes. The sponsor’s match is 20% for large and medium hub airports and 5% for small hub, non-hub, and non-primary airports.
 

No. IIJA does not require an annual appropriation. The funding is appropriated and will be available at the beginning of each FY.

Under IIJA, not more than $500 million is allocated annually to nonprimary airports based on the categories published in the NPIAS, updated with current year data. FAA Order 5090.5, Formulation of the NPIAS and ACIP, defines the criteria for each category or role.
 

Yes. AIG allocations are calculated each year based on the prior full calendar year of enplanement and cargo landed weight data. FY 2026 allocations will be based on CY 2024 data.  Allocations are based on a hybrid of airports performance and an airports performance relative to other primary airports.  Changes in enplanements, cargo landing weight, or relative performance compared to other airports will result in changes in allocation.  Additionally, changes in airport classification from primary to non-primary will change an airports allocation.

Primary airport allocations for FY 2022, FY 2023, and FY 2024 are based on highest enplanements for CY 2018, CY 2019, and previous full CY. An airport that was classified as a primary airport in any of those years is considered a primary airport for the year of allocation. Primary airport allocations for FY25 and FY26 will be based on full prior CY enplanements. 

Allocations for nonprimary airports that do not change NPIAS classification should not vary significantly from FY 2025 to FY 2026. For nonprimary airports, IIJA directs the FAA to use the categories published in the most current NPIAS published in FY2025. The NPIAS is published every other FY with FY 2026 being an off year.  In off years, FAA updates categories for airports that are newly opened, closed, changed to and from primary to nonprimary or moved out of unclassified status.  No updates are made to development costs or changes to and from categories other than primary/nonprimary, and unclassified role.

Yes. If the airport’s classification changes from unclassified to classified, that airport would be eligible for an allocation the following FY based on the airport’s new classification. Similarly, if an airport drops to unclassified it would lose allocations the following FY.

No. Unobligated AIG allocations are available until they expire (see Q-9).