All but one U.S. commercial airport are owned and operated by public entities, including local, regional or state authorities with the power to issue bonds to finance some of their capital needs.

Airport ownership typically falls into one of three categories: government-owned (public), private sector (privatized), or a public-private partnership (PPP). In the United States, the vast majority of commercial airports are owned by local, regional, or state government entities—such as a city (e.g., LAX is owned by the City of Los Angeles) or a "special district" called an Airport Authority. The federal government provides funding but does not own the facilities. Internationally, the trend toward privatization is more pronounced. For example, London Heathrow is owned by a private consortium led by Ferrovial, and Sydney Airport is owned by an investment group. In 2026, many major airports operate under "Concession Agreements," where a government owns the land but a private company (like Fraport or Groupe ADP) manages and profits from the operations for 25–50 years. This diverse ownership model ensures that airports can access both public tax revenue for infrastructure and private investment for retail and terminal modernization, though it often leads to debates regarding landing fees and passenger service standards.