A new AASHTO report details the economic and community impact of general aviation in all 50 states, updating state-level figures for employment, payroll, economic output, airports, pilots and aircraft.
National Impact
The report estimates GA supports 1.33 million jobs nationwide, generates $107.5 billion in labor income and produces $339.2 billion in economic output. It places GA’s contribution to U.S. gross domestic product at $178.1 billion. Those national numbers come from a 2025 PricewaterhouseCoopers economic study based on 2023 data.
More than 4,400 public-use airports are accessible to general aviation, according to the report, compared with 549 airports served by scheduled commercial airlines. The state profiles also examine airport roles in business travel, agriculture, health care, emergency response, flight training and disaster relief. Recent airport investment has included projects such as $18.9 million in Kansas funding announced earlier this year for 53 airport projects.
State and Local Data
“For thousands of communities, general aviation airports are an essential part of the broader transportation system, connecting people and businesses to jobs, markets, health care, emergency services, and destinations across the country,” Alliance for Aviation Across America Executive Director Devin Osting said in the AASHTO announcement. “This report gives state and local transportation leaders the data and examples they need to show how those airports contribute to a prosperous economy and a connected, resilient national transportation network.”
The 68-page fourth edition updates the previous 2023 report using the latest available state aviation economic-impact studies and other government and industry data. It also includes sections examining advanced air mobility, uncrewed aircraft systems, alternative-powered aircraft and sustainable aviation fuel programs in several states.
The fourth edition of The Impact of General Aviation on State and Local Economies was produced by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the Alliance for Aviation Across America and the National Association of State Aviation Officials.
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