North Carolina’s 72 airports contribute $72 billion to state’s economy each year

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — North Carolina has 72 publicly owned airports, which help support nearly 333,000 jobs and contribute over $72 billion to the state’s annual economy, according to a report.

The NC Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation says airports and aviation-related jobs also provide nearly $23 billion in personal income and contribute $3.7 billion in state and local tax revenues every year, based on 2021 data provided by the airports and Federal Aviation Administration.

“North Carolina’s aviation system continues driving the economy by connecting people, companies and communities to markets and destinations worldwide,” said Bobby Walston, director of NCDOT’s Division of Aviation.

North Carolina’s public airport system has 10 commercial service airports, including the Wilmington International Airport, and 62 general aviation airports, made up of four in the Cape Fear.

Those four are the Odell Williamson Municipal airport in Ocean Isle Beach, Curtis L. Brown Jr. Field airport in Elizabethtown, Columbus County Municipal airport in Whiteville and Cape Fear Regional Jetport/Howie Franklin Field in Oak Island.

Combined, those four publicly owned general airports generate nearly $600 million in economic output a year.