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The role of small airports in economic development

Author

Listed:
  • Button, Kenneth
  • Doh, Soogwan
  • Yuan, Junyang

Abstract

As one of the most important transport modes in the USA, air transportation has both influenced economic development and been influenced by it. Knowing the scale of these effects is important both for the development and management of airports, and for policy makers who make strategic decisions regarding airport planning and investment. Prior studies of the economic impacts of air transportation have focused mainly on the ties between large airports and regional economic development. Much less attention has been paid to the impact of small airports on their local areas. Some argue that small airports operating a passenger model not unlike an urban transit service can contribute significantly to regional economic development. However, with the exception of some work on high-income tourist destinations, previous studies provide little clear evidence to support a strong positive correlation between local air transportation and economic development. Furthermore, the direction of causation between air traffic and economic development is not entirely clear: regional economic development driven by other factors can lead to more air traffic; however, it is also possible that by generating traffic, airports act as a catalyst for local investment. This study uses a sample of 66 small airports in Virginia to explore the functional relationship between local air transportation and regional economic development.

Suggested Citation

  • Button, Kenneth & Doh, Soogwan & Yuan, Junyang, 2010. "The role of small airports in economic development," Journal of Airport Management, Henry Stewart Publications, vol. 4(2), pages 125-136, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:aza:jam000:y:2010:v:4:i:2:p:125-136
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Gümüş Akar, Pınar, 2025. "The impact of air transportation on economic growth: Novel findings from the CS-ARDL model," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    2. Pauwels, Jolien & Buyle, Sven & Dewulf, Wouter & Jourquin, Bart, 2025. "Reconsidering airport economic impact assessments: A bottom-up comparative analysis of Belgian airports," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    3. Hou, Meng & Jing, Puxuan & Ke, Di & Yang, Hangjun, 2025. "The impact of airport opening on urban financial development: Evidence from China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    4. Wu, Bingyu & Levinson, David M., 2024. "A multi-modal analysis of the effect of transport on population and productivity in China," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    5. repec:bcp:journl:v:7:y:2023:i:7:p:1914-1922 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Serafeim POLYZOS & Dimitrios TSIOTAS, 2020. "The Contribution Of Transport Infrastructures To The Economic And Regional Development: A Review Of The Conceptual Framework," Theoretical and Empirical Researches in Urban Management, Research Centre in Public Administration and Public Services, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 15(1), pages 5-23, February.
    7. Bordeaux, Gabriel & Couto, António & Jimenez, Edgar, 2025. "A combined approach using structural equation modeling and analytic hierarchy process in hub airports selection," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    8. Luque, Wolfgang Dupeyrat & Yu, Chunyan, 2025. "Evolution of the Airport Industry and Regional Growth in the Pacific Alliance Member Countries," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    9. Adrian Cioranu & Manuela Liliana Muresan & Silvia-Denisa Taranu, 2024. "Innovative Strategies For Optimizing Airport Revenue Streams Using Ai," Romanian Economic Business Review, Romanian-American University, vol. 19(4), pages 29-42, December.
    10. Zheng, Longfei & Xue, Yutong & Huang, Daquan, 2025. "Inter-city transport hubs and intra-city polycentric structure: Evidence from high-speed rail stations and airports in China," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    11. Hiney, Noel & Efthymiou, Marina & Morgenroth, Edgar, 2023. "Impact of Covid-19 on Irish airport stakeholder relationships," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • R4 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics
    • R40 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - General
    • M1 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration
    • M10 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - General

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