Up and Away: The Future of Georgia Airports

In Georgia, that “anywhere” starts with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s busiest. But it is the flight leader of a network of 105 public-use facilities that quietly and efficiently stitch together local economies, connecting them with the rest of the planet.

“The real difference maker for this project has been the collaboration between the FAA at the federal level, the Georgia DOT, and the state legislature and local partners – all pulling in the same direction.” – Greg Teague, CEO, Croy Engineering

“Those airports outside of Atlanta? They aren’t just airfields with runways – they are economic engines,” says Clement Solomon, director of the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Intermodal Division, which oversees the state’s planning, development and funding of non-highway transportation systems.

These smaller, regional airports – seven of them offer commercial air service – have an economic impact of almost $7 billion.

Futuristic Aviation: Archer Aviation is building electric vehicle takeoff and landing aircraft, sometimes called flying taxis because they take passengers short distances quickly. Photo credit: Archer

Solomon believes those economic engines will receive a dose of new horsepower with the introduction of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft – eVTOLs. A company in Covington, Archer Aviation, is already building a compact craft, which can lift off from 50-by-50 pads instead of concrete runways.

“They are something out of Judge Dredd,” says Solomon, alluding to the old Sylvester Stallone sci-fi movie. He takes the futuristic aviation concept further, describing an air-corridor study by the Georgia and North Carolina DOTs as “the ‘Charlanta’ route, like an I-85 in the sky for these new aircraft.”

He envisions high-value, time-sensitive cargo – and eventually, people – flying above the traffic instead of through it.

But long before that future can be realized, the work of keeping Georgia competitive in the sky is happening on the ground. Regional airports across the state are reshaping themselves to meet current demands, aided in part by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which is funneling more than $600 million into Georgia to modernize aviation infrastructure.

From a brand-new airport in Griffin to expansions and improvements in Savannah, Augusta, Valdosta and Columbus, the next chapter in Georgia aviation is already under construction.

Augusta Responds to Demand

Augusta Regional Airport is positioning itself as more than a landing pad for the Masters Tournament. Serving an Augusta-Aiken metro area of more than 640,000, the airport is expanding with an eye toward pursuing a third commercial carrier and new routes.

Reducing Congestion: Rendering of additional TSA screening lanes that are being added to Augusta Regional Airport. Photo credit: AGS

“The Masters is huge for us, no doubt, but it’s just two weeks a year,” notes Herbert Judon, Augusta Regional’s executive director. “The rest of the year it’s our manufacturers, our medical community, Fort Gordon and other events that are really driving air traffic.”

Construction projects include two additional TSA screening lanes, a 30,000-square-foot hangar and relocated rental car facilities, all of it designed to meet the needs of future passenger growth.

“There is plenty of demand in the region that is driving our expansion, and that’s a strong message that we can send to prospective airlines,” Judon says. “That’s a great message that we can send airlines.”

Additional gates are also in the pipeline says Judon, who is targeting new service to Chicago, New York or Florida.

Columbus’ Investment Pays Off

Columbus Airport is learning to surf the turbulence. With an estimated $94 million annual economic impact, the West Georgia field recently shut its only commercial runway for a $26 million rebuild – trading asphalt for concrete and preparing for heavier aircraft and more traffic for decades to come.

The closure suspended airline service for months, an estimated $1-$1.5 million hit. For a single-runway commercial airport, it was the ultimate stress test.

Runway Reveal: Former Columbus Airport Commission Chair James Barker, center, attended the 2025 ribbon cutting of the newly constructed runway, with Mayor Skip Henderson, behind him, and airport staff, partners and community members. Photo credit: Contributed

“Aviation is a cyclical industry,” says Airport Director Amber Clark. “When there’s a downturn in actual flights, we use non-aeronautical revenue to maintain operations. That’s really what we focused on.”

Columbus leaned on general aviation, rental car operations and community events at the airport to keep revenue flowing. And the payoff for the rebuild came quickly: Cargo operations have more than doubled through a new FedEx contractor, and Delta has upgraded some service to a mainline Boeing 717.

Griffin’s Transformative Project

In a pasture just off Interstate 75 near Griffin, Georgia’s first new airport in nearly 20 years is moving from idea to reality – the product of persistence, political timing and a rare level of coordination.

Greg Teague, CEO of the airport developer Croy Engineering, says the turning point was when state leaders in 2024 carved out $47 million for the project.

Collaborative Effort: Greg Teague, CEO of Croy Engineering, left, and Randy Peters, chair of the Griffin-Spalding County Airport Authority, right, make plans for Georgia’s first new airport in nearly 20 years. Photo credit: Daemon Baizan

“That really kicked everything off and got the momentum going,” says Teague. “The real difference maker for this project has been the collaboration between the FAA at the federal level, the Georgia DOT, the state legislature and local partners – all pulling in the same direction.”

On the local side, the connector has been Randy Peters, chair of the Griffin-Spalding County Airport Authority. The former Southern Crescent Technical College president has been shepherding the project, which he sees as transformative for the community.

“This project represents the proverbial goose that laid the golden egg in terms of economic development,” Peters says, adding that in a region crowded with distribution centers and manufacturers, a modern general aviation airport means CEOs and site consultants can hit multiple locations in a day, without commercial-airline friction.

Savannah Looks to the Future

Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport is spending big to keep up with even bigger demand. The state’s second-largest commercial airport posts a $4.3 billion economic impact and ranks 75th among 450 U.S. commercial service airports – an enviable spot for a midsize coastal city.

“Every dollar we spend on this airport is a down payment on Georgia’s future,” says the airport’s Executive Director Greg Kelly, who notes that years of near double-digit passenger growth have outpaced the airport’s 20-year master plan, forcing leaders to accelerate projects touching everything from cargo to highway access.

Streamlined Experience: Greg Kelly, executive director of Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, above left; the airport’s $80 million cargo complex, above right. Photo credits: Contributed

At the heart of that push is an $80 million cargo complex designed to unlock freight growth that cramped existing facilities have held back. Outside the fence, the airport is working with the state on a new Interstate 95 interchange to prevent congestion from choking access to the terminal and surrounding industrial areas.

The airport also is adding a new parking deck with space on its roof for advanced air mobility – next generation eVTOLs.

“Technology is moving at the speed of light,” Kelly says. “From parking to checking in to security to boarding aircraft, we’re anticipating a more streamlined experience moving forward.”

Valdosta’s Soaring Goals

Valdosta Regional Airport is angling for its position on the front door of South Georgia’s aviation future. A new 70-foot control tower – replacing a 40-foot structure – anchors the airfield, bringing upgraded radios, flight-tracking systems and expanded weather-reporting capabilities.

“We’ve got better visibility of the airport,” says Executive Director and Airport Manager Tim Hood. “So, we’re able to control airplanes and ground movement a lot better. And that means improved safety.”

Making Upgrades: Rendering of improved Valdosta Regional Airport. Photo credit: Contributed

On the ground side, the airport has added roughly 180 new parking spaces and expanded its rental car lot.

A new terminal under construction will upgrade fixed-base operations with conference space, a pilot lounge, laundry facilities, a catering kitchen and an indoor-outdoor observation deck. Behind the scenes, designers are sketching plans for a second airline and larger gate areas – a sign that Valdosta’s traffic, and its regional influence, are still climbing.

Solomon sees all of this investment around the state – the expanded rental lots, the terminals, the runways, all of it – as necessary investment in Georgia’s critical entry and exit points. The state’s regional airport network – those airports other than Hartsfield – inject millions in local jurisdictions, adding up to a statewide economic impact of almost $7 billion.

“Each facility is unique, and each is important to their communities, and to the entire state,” says Solomon. “They support tens of thousands of jobs and bring investment from all over and provide a layer of self-sufficiency and convenience. These airports drive economic development in their regions.”