Who owns the region’s airports?

The central Puget Sound region boasts 29 airports, but not all of these are open to the general public.

Nineteen operate as public facilities—airports available for public use without a requirement for prior approval of the airport owner or operator. Eight are privately owned and two are operated by the military.

Public airports can be owned by the state, a county, city, port, or other public authority. Some are publicly operated; others may be solely or co-operated by a private contractor.

In the region, three airports are port-owned; four are state-owned; five are county-owned. Six cities and towns in the region operate airports: Renton, Auburn, Arlington, Eatonville, Lakewood, and Darrington.

Private airports differ from public airports. They are usually not open to the general public and may require membership, invitation, or approval to use. Some private airports do allow public use; Apex Airpark in Silverdale, Shady Acres Airport in Spanaway, and First Air Field in Monroe are privately-owned facilities in the region that are open to the general public.

Private airports are also home to many aviation-related businesses and offer a variety of services including passenger service, recreational trips, and flight instruction.

PSRC is conducting a Regional Aviation Baseline Study to better understand the region’s aviation system and options for meeting growing demand. Results from the study will form the technical foundation for future decisions by regional and state leaders.  A final report is due out in fall 2020.