FAA Establishes New Airport Grant Program For COVID Relief

The FAA has established the new Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program to distribute $2 billion in funds designated to provide economic relief for airports impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. According to the agency, grants will be offered to eligible U.S. airports to “prevent, prepare for, and respond to” COVID-19. The funds are part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act (CRRSAA) (PDF), which was signed into law on Sunday.

“The FAA will make grants to all eligible airports that are part of the national airport system, including all commercial service airports, all reliever airports, and some public-owned general aviation airports,” the agency said. “These funds will provide economic relief to airports around the country affected by the COVID-19 public health emergency.”

Of the grant funds, $1.75 billion will go to primary commercial service airports with more than 10,000 annual passenger boardings. An additional $200 million will be available for primary commercial service airports “to provide relief from rent and minimum annual guarantees to on-airport car rental, on-airport parking, and in-terminal airport concessions.” Non-primary commercial service and general aviation airports will have access to $45 million, $5 million of which will be divided equally among airports that are part of the FAA Contract Tower Program.