# How do small airports make money.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-small-airports-make-money/184283>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 25, 2003, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-small-airports-make-money/184283 "2003-06-25T13:29:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-small-airports-make-money/184283/1 "2003-06-25T13:29:41Z")

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I spent a day this weekend at a small airport where only small planes go in and out, I got to wondering, just how do they make money outside of hanger rental, gas and maintence fees.

Do they charge per landing?

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**Author:** ![3waygeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e95f7d/32.png) [@3waygeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3waygeek)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-small-airports-make-money/184283/2 "2003-06-25T13:46:42Z")

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The services you refer to are usually provided by fixed-base operators (FBO’s), which are, for the most part, privately-held businesses who lease the space from the airport’s owners.

Some airports, mostly larger ones that have commercial traffic, do have landing fees; most small, general-aviation only airports don’t in my experience.

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**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-small-airports-make-money/184283/3 "2003-06-25T13:58:27Z")

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Possiblities are limited only by the local airport commisions imagination and chutzpa…

Municipal taxes

State or Federal subsidies

Local business tourism board contributions

Concession stand commisions/Alcohol sales

Almost every commercial airline ticket includes a PFC tax. This stands for **P** assenger **F** acility **C** harge. Its is a “fueling tax” which helps offset the cost of operating an airport. This tax ranges from $3.00 to $4.50 per landing/per passenger.

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**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-small-airports-make-money/184283/4 "2003-06-25T13:59:17Z")

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At the airport I fly out of (untowered, no FBO) we did a study because the runway really needs to be repaved and the county government is reluctant.

The state pays 60% of the costs (the funds for this comes out of taxes paid on avaiation fuel). The county charges lot leases for the hangers and property tax. Last year or the year before they actually made a profit, the other year they spent like $1000. (The county government thought it was like $15000). Lots of airports DON’t make money-just like most roads.

Brian