IDOT Announces Airport of the Year Awards Recognizing Best in Illinois Aviation

Kim Stevens Uncategorized

Photo – MidAmerica St. Louis Airport –

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that six airports have received Airport of the Year awards in recognition of outstanding commitment to safety and customer satisfaction. The awards were presented today during the Illinois Public Airports Association fall conference in Galena.

“Airports help to drive the economy in their communities while connecting Illinois to the world,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi. “We’re grateful for the services airports provide and proud to recognize them for their exemplary work.”

The winners were selected based on their accomplishments, including an outstanding partnership with IDOT and a strong commitment to customer safety and satisfaction. Among the award considerations are cooperation and coordination with the state, safety record, facility maintenance and promotion of aviation.

The 2026 recipients are: ​

  • MidAmerica St. Louis Airport ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Primary Airport of the Year
  • Chicago Executive Airport ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Reliever Airport of the Year
  • Albertus Airport ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Large General Aviation Airport of the Year
  • Tri-Township Airport ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Small General Aviation Airport of the Year
  • Carle Health Methodist Hospital ​ ​ ​ Restricted Landing Area Heliport of the Year
  • Thacker Airport ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Restricted Landing Area Airport of the Year

Illinois is home to almost 100 public airports and heliports, with nearly 3,000 aircraft registered with the Federal Aviation Administration. The system of airports supports more than 492,000 jobs, with a combined payroll of $21.9 billion and a total economic impact of $95.4 billion. Across the state, there are more than 700 aviation facilities, including heliports, balloon, glider and ultra-light landing facilities as well as grass landing strips.

To learn more about aviation in Illinois and the Illinois Aviation System Plan, visit www.ilaviation.com

Kim Stevens

Kim Stevens is the publisher of State Aviation Journal, which he founded in 2009. A longtime commercial-rated pilot, he was introduced to state aviation in 1992 as Director of the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics, later serving as Deputy Division Director for the Arizona Department of Transportation's Aeronautics Division. From 2013 to 2018, he was Director of Communications and Operations for the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) in Washington, D.C. Relocating to North Carolina, Kim worked for the Raleigh-Durham International Airport for two years and now concentrates solely on the Journal. Prior to his aviation career, Kim spent a decade in the newspaper and magazine business.