ADOT Releases Draft 2026 Arizona State Aviation System Plan Update for Public Comment

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has released the draft 2026 Arizona State Aviation System Plan for public review and comment.

The State Aviation System Plan serves as Arizona’s long-term roadmap for the state’s public airport system. The plan looks ahead for 20 years and helps identify the improvements, investments and priorities needed to keep Arizona’s airports safe, reliable and prepared for future growth. The plan also evaluates how Arizona’s airport system supports economic development, emergency services, business, tourism and community access throughout the state.

Key updates to the plan include:

  • Forecasts of future demand for commercial airline, general aviation and air cargo activities in Arizona through 2044.
  • Alignment of the aviation system goals with the goals identified in the 2050 Arizona Long Range Transportation Plan.
  • Estimates of systemwide project costs to meet system goals and fulfill airport needs over a 20-year planning period.

Comments on the plan can be made through Sept. 1 in the following ways:

  • Online comment form at: azdot.gov/SASPcomments
  • Email to: ngbecerra@azdot.gov
  • Phone: 855.712.8530
  • Mail: Nancy Becerra, ADOT Community Relations, 1655 W. Jackson St., MD126F, Phoenix, AZ 85007

The draft Arizona State Aviation System Plan Update and additional details are available for review on the Airport Development and Planning webpage at azdot.gov/SASP.

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.