How does FAA classify airports?

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has a system for categorizing public-use airports (along with heliports and other aviation bases) that is primarily based on the level of commercial passenger traffic through each facility.



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When the number of flights increases to a level that creates regular and significant flight delays, and infrastructure improvements to manage the capacity are not feasible in the near future, the airport may be declared a Level 3 airport by the FAA.

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12 Different Types Of Airports Explained
  • Primary Commercial Service Airport. JFK International Airport, New York City. ...
  • Non-Primary Commercial Service Airports. ...
  • Reliever Airports. ...
  • Cargo Service Airports. ...
  • General Aviation Airports. ...
  • National Airports. ...
  • Regional Airports. ...
  • Local Airports.


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Plainly put, airport runways are numbered according to compass bearings. This means runway numbers are based on the compass with 360 representing north, 90 representing east, 180 representing south, and 270 representing west. Runways are numbered between 01 and 36. Aerial view of a numbered airport runway.

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Class D airports have an Air Traffic Control Tower to coordinate airport operations. However, unlike Class B and C airports, they don't require a mandatory approach and departure control (though many do have approach/departure).

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Class C airspace areas are designed to improve aviation safety by reducing the risk of mid-air collisions in the terminal area and enhance the management of air traffic operations therein. Aircraft operating in these airspace areas are subject to certain operating rules and equipment requirements.

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Most Class C airports are home to flight schools and small aircraft hangars as well as scheduled service by airlines. While still busy, Class C airports have less traffic than Class B, so ATC doesn't need as much space to keep them organized. Like Class B, approach control services are provided.

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Class A: All Airspace above 18,000 ft. Anybody flying here must receive a clearance from, be talking to, and be controlled by ATC. Class B: Airspace within approximately 30 miles and 10,000 feet of the ground around the busiest airports in the US.

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Class C airspace is used around airports with a moderate traffic level. Class D is used for smaller airports that have a control tower. The U.S. uses a modified version of the ICAO class C and D airspace, where only radio contact with ATC rather than an ATC clearance is required for VFR operations.

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  • ATL - Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Intl.
  • BOS - Boston Logan Intl.
  • BWI - Baltimore/Washington Intl.
  • CLT - Charlotte Douglas Intl.
  • DCA - Ronald Reagan Washington National.
  • DEN - Denver Intl.
  • DFW - Dallas/Fort Worth Intl.
  • DTW - Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County.


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New York also has six airports New York City also claims six commercial airports. The three main airports are Newark-Liberty (EWR), LaGuardia (LGA), and John F. Kennedy International (JFK).

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It's called the 3-2-1 rule, and it's the easiest way to remember the regulation. To recap, if the weather at your destination isn't at least 3 SM of visibility and 2000' AGL ceilings from 1 hour before to 1 hour after your ETA, you need to file an alternate.

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