Boise Airport Prepares to be Reclassified as a Medium Hub This Fall

The Federal Aviation Administration has released preliminary passenger boarding data from 2020 which indicates the Boise Airport will be classified as a medium hub airport beginning this fall. The data shows the Boise Airport was the 61st busiest airport in the nation in 2020, with 992,342 enplanements.

For several years the Boise Airport’s passenger traffic has grown much faster than the national average. Prior to the pandemic, passenger traffic at BOI grew 49% from 2014 – 2019.

“The Boise Airport has been anticipating this reclassification, as we have been on the borderline between small and medium hub for quite some time,” said Boise Airport Director Rebecca Hupp. “The strong rebound in our passenger traffic throughout the pandemic helped push the airport over the threshold.”

As a medium hub, the Boise Airport may receive less federal funding for airport improvement grants and will have additional federal regulatory requirements related to passenger services, airline competition plans, and reporting requirements.

In preparation for medium hub reclassification, the Boise Airport is currently constructing a Service Animal Relief Area and Nursing Room which will be located after the security checkpoint. Both items are required for medium hub airports and are expected to be completed in August 2021.

The Federal Aviation Administration classifies airports based on their size relative to the overall national system. Airports that handle .25 – 1% of the country’s annual commercial passenger enplanements are classified as medium hubs.