Economic Impact

Tennessee’s airports serve a much greater market than just Tennesseans. Almost 7.8 million out-of-state visitors traveled through one of the state’s commercial service and/or general aviation airports, contributing $10.5 billion to the state’s economy. That’s not all they support—Tennessee’s airports directly employ 1,537 people and are home to almost 734 businesses. These businesses in turn employ an additional 31,640 people. The economic impact attributable to this on-airport activity accounts for almost $20.7 billion!

Tennessee’s airports also contribute to the state’s economy with freight/cargo services, which support over 73,000 jobs and $22.7 billion in economic impact.

To understand how Tennessee’s 76 system airports support the economy, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Aeronautics Division undertook this Aviation Economic Impact Study. Data for this study was collected for calendar year 2025 and represents a snapshot in time for that year. The total economic impact of $53.8 billion reflects how much airports contributed to the state’s economy in 2025 alone.

Airport Resources