2020 Aviation Economic Impact Study

Airports in Wyoming are not only essential transportation links, they also contribute to many sectors of the state’s economy, support a wide variety of essential services, and add to the quality of life for Wyoming residents, businesses, and visitors. 

In 2020, the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) Aeronautics Division completed an Aviation Economic Impact Study to determine the annual impact of the state’s 34 public airports with paved runways. It is important to note that all economic impacts documented in this report reflect pre-COVID conditions for all study airports. This report provides a high level summary of WYDOT’s economic impact research; additional reports and more detailed information are available at http://www.dot.state.wy.us/home/aeronautics.html. 

Each airport, its aviation business tenants, visitors, WYDOT, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) served as the primary data sources for determining both statewide and airport specific economic impacts reported in this summary. In addition to documenting economic impacts, considerable research and investigation was completed to document how airports support various users and uses. These uses and users contribute to many businesses, economic development, other economic sectors such as agriculture and forestry, healthcare and emergency services, aerial firefighting, tourism and recreation, and a wide variety of other activities noted in this report. 

Within the state airport system, airports are assigned to a role; roles typically reflect the types of aviation activity each airport accommodates, along with the economic characteristics of the communities each airport serves. As shown here, Wyoming airports are assigned to one of the following roles: Commercial Service, Business, Intermediate, or Local.