Iowa Governor Announces $100M Investment for Commercial Airports

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced a $100 million investment to modernize and strengthen Iowa’s air transportation system through the Iowa Commercial Aviation Infrastructure Fund. 

Gov. Kim Reynolds

Iowa’s eight commercial airports are eligible for funding that will support modernization and expansion projects. Ninety percent of the funds will be granted based upon passenger numbers from 2019 and the remaining 10% will be split equally among the eight commercial airports.

“Iowa’s commercial airports play a vital role in supporting the economic development and prosperity of our state, and we need to ensure that continues to be the case for many more years to come,” said Gov. Reynolds. “This significant investment will help maintain momentum and encourage ongoing growth through transformative projects that will greatly benefit Iowans and other travelers that utilize our air transportation system.”

Iowa’s airport system supported 2.2 million passengers and 142 million pounds of cargo in 2019, prior to the pandemic. Iowa’s airports are essential for our state’s tourism, business growth and development, and economic prosperity. 

Eligible projects under this program include terminal construction and renovations, parking structure construction and hangar construction. 

The Iowa Commercial Aviation Infrastructure Fund will be administered by the Iowa Department of Transportation utilizing one-time federal funds from the American Rescue Plan.

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.