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Airports earn money mainly from airline and passenger charges, plus commercial activity such as shops, parking, property and rental cars. In Airports Council International (ACI) World’s latest global figures, for 2024, aeronautical revenue made up 54% of airport revenue, commercial revenue 37%, and non-operating revenue the remaining 9%. That is a worldwide aggregate, not a formula every airport follows.
Where airport revenue comes from
ACI World reported US$194.9 billion in total airport revenue worldwide in 2024. Its figures cover 1,086 airports, representing about 82% of global passenger traffic, and divide revenue into three broad categories: aeronautical, non-aeronautical commercial, and non-operating. ACI World’s 2026 release reports the financial data for fiscal year 2024.
| Revenue category | Share of global airport revenue in 2024 | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Aeronautical | 54% | Revenue predominantly generated from airline charges and passenger fees. |
| Non-aeronautical commercial | 37% | Income from commercial activities not directly related to airline operations, including retail, parking and property. |
| Non-operating | 9% | A separate category in ACI’s totals; the cited release does not detail its components. |
These percentages describe the global total, not the revenue mix at an individual airport. The balance can vary with passenger volume, local commercial activity, regulation and the airport’s operating arrangements.
How aeronautical revenue works
Aeronautical revenue is tied to airlines’ and passengers’ use of airport infrastructure and aviation services. ACI describes it as predominantly generated from airline charges and passenger fees. The charges can support the facilities and services needed to handle aircraft and passengers, but there is no globally uniform fee schedule: amounts and rules differ between airports and regulatory settings. ACI World’s FY2023 report summary describes these sources and reported US$79 billion in aeronautical revenue that year.
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Airline charges and passenger fees are related to airport use, but they are not interchangeable: one is charged to airlines, while the other may be associated with passengers or their tickets. The figures here do not establish which specific fees apply at any particular airport or how they are passed through to travelers.
How commercial activity brings in money
Commercial or non-aeronautical revenue comes from activity that is not directly tied to airline operations. ACI lists retail, food and beverage, car parking, property and real estate, advertising, rental cars, lounges, ground access and other passenger services. Some airports run activities themselves; others work with concessionaires or other operators. ACI’s concession-agreements guide discusses the relationship between airports and commercial operators, but does not establish one contract or revenue-sharing formula used everywhere.
Common commercial sources
- Retail and food: Shops, restaurants, cafes and other concessions serving travelers.
- Parking and ground access: Airport parking and related access services.
- Property and real estate: Income connected to airport property and commercial real estate.
- Rental cars and lounges: Commercial services provided to passengers, often through operators at the airport.
- Advertising and other services: Commercial placements and passenger-facing offerings.
ACI’s 2021 breakdown illustrates that commercial income can be distributed across several activities rather than concentrated in shops. In that year’s global non-aeronautical mix, property and real estate represented 25%, parking 20%, retail concessions 13%, rental cars 9%, food and beverage 5%, fuel and oil 2%, and other sources 26%. These are shares of non-aeronautical revenue in 2021, not shares of all airport revenue or a current mix for every airport. ACI’s 2023 Airport Economics Report attributes the chart to its Airport Economics Database.
Do airports make more from airlines or shops and parking?
In the 2024 global aggregate, aeronautical revenue was larger: 54% of total airport revenue compared with 37% for non-aeronautical commercial revenue. But commercial revenue is a substantial second stream, and the answer for a specific airport depends on its own traffic, commercial operations and regulatory context.
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Regional mixes also differ. ACI notes that parking’s greater weight in North America changes that region’s commercial mix, while retail is the largest non-aeronautical source outside North America. This is a regional observation, not a rule for each airport. Comparing two airports requires their airport-level financial figures, not just the global percentages.
Why more passengers do not always mean recovered revenue
Passenger counts and airport revenue do not necessarily return to earlier levels at the same pace. In 2024, global airport passenger traffic reached 9.4 billion, 4% above 2019. Yet total airport revenue remained 2.1% below 2019 in real terms. Aeronautical revenue was 3% below its 2019 level and commercial revenue 9% below, according to ACI World’s 2026 release. These comparisons use different measures: passenger volume versus revenue adjusted for inflation.
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The figures show that traffic growth alone does not tell the whole financial story. They do not, by themselves, identify the causes of the revenue gap or predict the performance of any one airport.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to assess a particular airport
The global split is useful context, but a local answer needs airport-specific financial reporting. When comparing airports, look for:
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- The share of revenue from aeronautical charges versus commercial activity.
- How much commercial income comes from parking, property, retail, dining, rental cars and other services.
- Total revenue and revenue per passenger as separate measures.
- The airport’s regulatory and ownership context, which can affect charges and commercial arrangements.
- Revenue recovery against a consistent baseline year, compared separately from passenger recovery.
ACI’s 2026 Airport Economics Report release provides global FY2024 context, while its concession-agreements guide is relevant to how airports and commercial operators work together. Neither establishes the revenue split or contract terms at a named airport.
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