Airport Catchment Areas and Statistical Areas Differ
Catchment Areas: What Defines/Determines Them
Airport staff commonly think about the region served by the airport in terms of its catchment area. Generally speaking, the “catchment area” is that geographic region that covers the market served by the airport. Catchment areas vary from airport to airport, depending on multiple factors, such as:
- Natural geographic boundaries (e.g., bodies of water or mountains).
- International borders.
- The geographic location of the airport vis-à-vis other commercial service airports.
- The differing commercial flights (service) offered at each airport (e.g., domestic or international, flights by legacy network vs. low-cost or ultra-low-cost carriers).
Catchment areas are often expressed in terms of the “drive time” around the airport. For example, an airport could consider its catchment area to be all the residents and businesses within a 60- or 90-minute drive from the airport.
Passengers also differ in their willingness to expand or contract the distance (or time) that they are willing to travel to reach an airport or particular flight. In general, because leisure passengers may be more sensitive to price and less sensitive to flight schedules, they may be more willing to expand their airport options. Business travelers, who are more time sensitive, may be more concerned with flight timing (and overall length of the trip). Their selection of airports may be more dependent on flight schedules. Consequently, airport catchment areas have fluid boundaries that depend on passengers’ needs and the availability of alternative flight services at other nearby airports. For more information, see ACRP Report 98: Understanding Airline and Passenger Choice in Multi-Airport Regions.
Catchment Areas vs. Metropolitan Statistical Areas or Similar Constructs
Airport catchment areas seldom, if ever, correspond with geographical or political subdivisions (e.g., county or state lines). However, it is by those subdivisions that socioeconomic data like population and employment are first measured. For example, the catchment area for Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) extends beyond Nevada, well into California. Similarly, the catchment area for Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers extends beyond the boundaries of the combined statistical area and includes parts of Charlotte and Hendry counties.
RSW Catchment Area Map
Combined Statistical Area of Cape Coral-Fort Myers-Naples, FL
Source: ARC Data, RSW/InterVISTAS Leakage Study
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, U.S. Census Bureau; 2012 Economic Census
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