Augusta Regional Airport presented its proposed list to the Finance Committee members of the Augusta-Richmond County Commissioners in hopes of receiving Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds. The update included some interest from a new airline in working with Augusta Regional Airport.
The list outlined by Herbert Judon, Jr., Executive Director of Augusta Regional Airport, was brief, just two items. One is a $6 million expansion of ramp space on the airport’s southeast side. The other, $20 million, would be for the construction of two additional hangars.
While Judon was giving county commissioners the project list, Aviation Commission members were holding their monthly meeting. Lauren Smith, the airport’s Assistant Director of Marketing and Public Relations, briefed members on the presentation Judon was making to commissioners.
She also told ABD about the potential for United Airlines to offer direct service in the future. It’s related to a little-known emergency diversion service airlines provide.
For instance, there is an updated role Augusta now has for Delta Airlines, one of its two daily service airlines. Augusta Regional has been designated a “super diversion city” for the Atlanta-based carrier.
“Airlines look for different airports and locations that they could easily divert to, should there be an issue with the aircraft, or if there’s a weather issue. We have always been receiving diversions for Atlanta,” she explained to ABD. “But due to our capacity and the routes that the airlines are doing now, they have selected Augusta as a super diversion. They’re trying to get larger cities through their flight paths to be labeled as super diversion, where they can accommodate more aircraft.”
Augusta Regional is also a diversion city for American Airlines, its other daily carrier. Now, United Airlines has added Augusta as one of its diversion cities.
“So, even though we don’t have air service with United, we are now a diverting city for United,” she said. “Hopefully, through that partnership, there is some opportunity for us to get direct service through United in the future, but this is a good first step to show our facilities to them and have those conversations in a partnership established already.”
Smith told commissioners the airport can accommodate parking for up to 16 passenger aircraft. The three airlines have been provided with a parking map on where they would park their aircraft in an emergency.
She also clarified a recent announcement from Delta regarding three new direct flights from Augusta to Los Angeles, Nashville, and Newark. She said those flights will be available during the Masters Week 2026.
As for the benefits of Judon’s $26 million project request to the City of Augusta….
“What this does for us, not just the airport, but for the community, it will be revenue producing in terms of residual spending,” he said. “As we build these projects, it implies that there’s going to be more aeronautical activity, which means fuel sales, fuel taxes, ad valorem taxes on airplanes and the structures there. So, this will have those residual benefits from an economic development standpoint.”
Currently, the airport has three hangars that are maxed out with tenants. A lack of hangar space is an issue facing airports across the U.S. A 2023 study by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) determined the state needs approximately 1,400 hangars to be built. The additional hangars at Augusta Regional will allow more day-to-day flexibility to manage operations, to manage transient aircraft, business aircraft based at the airport, and Masters Week air traffic.
