Essential Air Service
Essential Air Service is a U.S. government program enacted to guarantee that small communities in the United States, which had been served by certificated airlines prior to deregulation in 1978, maintain commercial service. Its aim is to maintain a minimal level of scheduled air service to these communities that otherwise would not be profitable. The program is codified at.
The United States Department of Transportation subsidizes airlines to serve communities across the country that otherwise would not receive scheduled air service. As of June 1, 2015, 159 communities in the US received EAS subsidies, of which 44 were in Alaska, two in Hawaii, and one in Puerto Rico. The decision as to what degree of subsidized service a community requires is made based on identifying a specific hub for the community and from there determining the number of trips, seats, and type of aircraft that are necessary to serve that hub.
These increases occurred despite numerous Congressional measures to contain program spending. The George W. Bush Administration sought to reduce the cost of the program to $50 million by stricter eligibility criteria and requiring the local governments of the areas served to contribute to the cost. As of October 2024, subsidies for the program amounted $550 million.
Community eligibility criteria
Pursuant to the Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2000, no community within the 48 contiguous states may receive a subsidy greater than $200 per passenger unless the community is more than from the nearest large or medium hub airport. Pursuant to the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, to be eligible for the program, a community in the contiguous 48 states must either maintain an average of 10 or more enplanements per service day or be located more than from the nearest large or medium hub airport. The criteria for 10 or more enplanements can be waived by the Secretary of Transportation, on an annual basis, if a community can demonstrate that it is due to a temporary decline.The Department of Transportation, pursuant to the Consolidated and Further Appropriations Act of 2015, is required to negotiate a local cost share with communities located less than from a small hub airport.
Controversy
Critics question the economic and environmental efficiency of the service. According to a 2006 New York Times article on the program, the subsidy per passenger, averaged across the entire program excluding Alaska, is approximately $74, and much higher on some particularly poorly patronized flights where subsidies are as high as $801 per passenger.The program is politically popular in the cities receiving the subsidized flights, many of which use an airport with scheduled service as a selling point to attract industry to their regions. Several subsidized airports are within an hour's drive from an unsubsidized airport.
Report tables
The following tables list all Essential Air Service communities under the various funding programs. This is based on the most recent reports issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation, and updated to reflect changes based on DOT orders. Docket and order numbers link to their respective pages on the docket management site, which typically includes the original files in PDF and other formats. The hubs are designated using the three-letter IATA airport code assigned by the International Air Transport Association.Subsidized EAS communities
Areas excluding Alaska
Alaska
| Community | Airport | Destinations | Carrier | Aircraft | Annual subsidy | Docket | Order | Expires |
| Adak | Adak Airport | Anchorage | Alaska Airlines | Boeing 737-700 / 124 | $3,613,465 $3,875,430 | 30 Sep 2027 | ||
| Akutan | Akutan Airport | Unalaska/Dutch Harbor Akun Island | Grant Aviation Maritime Helicopters | Beechcraft King Air 200 / 9 or Piper Navajo / 9 Bell 206 | $1,550,110 $1,706,657 $1,860,691 $1,040,113 $1,098,078 $1,152,195 | 31 Mar 2026 | ||
| Alitak | Alitak Seaplane Base | Kodiak * | Redemption Inc. d.b.a.Island Air Service | Cessna 206 / 5 or De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver / 6 | 20% of $830,367 $861,052 $892,850 $925,805 $959,960 | 31 Oct 2030 | ||
| Amook Bay | Amook Bay Seaplane Base | Kodiak * | Redemption Inc. d.b.a.Island Air Service | Cessna 206 / 5 or De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver / 6 | 2.5% of $830,367 $861,052 $892,850 $925,805 $959,960 | 31 Oct 2030 | ||
| Angoon | Angoon Seaplane Base | Juneau | Alaska Seaplanes | Cessna 208 Caravan / 9 Cessna 206 / 4 de Havilland Beaver / 6 | $142,843 $221,313 $319,097 $440,619 | 31 Jan 2027 | ||
| Atka | Atka Airport | Unalaska/Dutch Harbor | Grant Aviation | Beechcraft King Air / 9 | $2,328,111 $2,458,764 $2,596,235 | 30 Sep 2028 | ||
| Central | Central Airport | Fairbanks ----Circle | Warbelow's Air Ventures | Piper Navajo / 8 | $256,801 | 30 Nov 2027 | ||
| Chisana | Chisana Airport | Tok | 40-Mile Air | Cessna 185 / 3 or Cessna 206 and 207 / 4 | $229,880 | 31 May 2027 | ||
| Circle | Circle City Airport | Fairbanks ----Central | Warbelow's Air Ventures | Piper Navajo / 8 | $256,801 | 30 Nov 2027 | ||
| Cordova | Merle K. (Mudhole) Smith Airport | Anchorage ----Juneau | Alaska Airlines | Boeing 737-700 / 124 | $5,718,676 $27,600 | 30 Apr 2027 | ||
| Diomede | Diomede Heliport | Nome | Pathfinder Aviation | Bell 212 / 12 or Bell 412 / 12 | $718,900 $747,656 $777,562 | 30 Jun 2026 | ||
| Elfin Cove | Elfin Cove Seaplane Base | Juneau | Alaska Seaplanes | Cessna 208 Caravan / 9 Cessna 206 / 4 de Havilland Beaver / 6 | $329,352 $388,744 $460,787 $548,306 | 31 Jan 2027 | ||
| Excursion Inlet | Excursion Inlet Seaplane Base | Juneau | Ward Air | Cessna 185 / 3 to 4 Cessna 206 / 3 to 4 Cessna 310 / 3 to 4 | $36,657 $40,103 $43,894 $49,250 | 30 Sep 2026 | ||
| Gulkana | Gulkana Airport | Anchorage | Reeve Air Alaska | Beechcraft King Air 200 / 9 | $424,775 $450,261 $477,277 $505,913 | 31 Jan 2029 | ||
| Gustavus | Gustavus Airport | Juneau - Seasonal | Alaska Airlines | Boeing 737-700 / 124 | $506,894 | 30 Apr 2027 | ||
| Healy Lake | Healy Lake Airport | Fairbanks | Wright Air Service | Cessna 206 / 5 or Cessna 208 Caravan / 9 | $240,860 | 31 Aug 2028 | ||
| Hydaburg | Hydaburg Seaplane Base | Ketchikan Harbor | Taquan Air | de Havilland Beaver / 6 or de Havilland Otter / 7 | $309,441 $341,029 $374,110 $411,623 $450,968 | 31 Oct 2030 | ||
| Kake | Kake Seaplane Base | Juneau | Alaska Seaplanes | Cessna 208 Caravan / 9 Pilatus PC-12 / 9 | $449,818 $536,020 $640,195 $755,304 | 30 Sep 2026 | ||
| Kitoi Bay | Kitoi Bay Seaplane Base | Kodiak | Redemption Inc. d.b.a.Island Air Service | Cessna 206 / 5 or De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver / 6 | 2.5% of $830,367 $861,052 $892,850 $925,805 $959,960 | 31 Oct 2030 | ||
| Lake Minchumina | Minchumina Airport | Fairbanks | Wright Air Service | Cessna 208 Caravan / 9 or Cessna 206 / 4 | $213,600 | 31 Oct 2026 | ||
| Manley Hot Springs | Manley Hot Springs Airport | Fairbanks ----Minto | Warbelow's Air Ventures | Piper Navajo / 9 | $92,326 | 31 Aug 2026 | ||
| May Creek | May Creek Airport | Gulkana | Copper Valley Air Service | Cessna 185 / 3 Cessna 206 / 5 | $512,147 $542,876 $575,448 $609,975 | 31 Jan 2029 | ||
| McCarthy | McCarthy Airport | Gulkana | Copper Valley Air Service | Cessna 185 / 3 Cessna 206 / 5 | $512,147 $542,876 $575,448 $609,975 | 31 Jan 2029 | ||
| McGrath | McGrath Airport | Anchorage-Merrill Field | Alaska Air Transit | Pilatus PC-12 / 9 | $563,895 $585,786 | 30 Nov 2026 | ||
| Minto | Minto Al Wright Airport | Fairbanks ----Manley | Warbelow's Air Ventures | Piper Navajo / 9 | $92,326 | 31 Aug 2026 | ||
| Moser Bay | Moser Bay Seaplane Base | Kodiak * | Redemption Inc. d.b.a.Island Air Service | Cessna 206 / 5 or De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver / 6 | 10% of $830,367 $861,052 $892,850 $925,805 $959,960 | 31 Oct 2030 | ||
| Nikolski | Nikolski Air Station | Unalaska/Dutch Harbor | Grant Aviation | Beechcraft King Air / 9 or Piper Navajo / 9 | $521,893 $554,697 $589,275 | 30 Sep 2029 | ||
| Olga Bay | Olga Bay Seaplane Base | Kodiak * | Redemption Inc. d.b.a.Island Air Service | Cessna 206 / 5 or De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver / 6 | 10% of $830,367 $861,052 $892,850 $925,805 $959,960 | 31 Oct 2030 | ||
| Pelican | Pelican Seaplane Base | Juneau | Alaska Seaplanes | Cessna 208 Caravan / 9 Cessna 206 / 4 de Havilland Beaver / 6 | $578,820 $700,936 $853,751 $1,040,497 | 31 Jan 2027 | ||
| Petersburg | Petersburg James A. Johnson Airport | Juneau ----Ketchikan ----Seattle - Freighter | Alaska Airlines | Boeing 737-700 / 124 | $2,395,607 $308,343 | 30 Apr 2027 | ||
| Port Alexander | Port Alexander Seaplane Base | Sitka | Baranautica Air Service | Cessna 185 / 3 | $148,000 $151,700 | 30 Sep 2027 | ||
| Port Bailey | Port Bailey Seaplane Base | Kodiak * | Redemption Inc. d.b.a.Island Air Service | Cessna 206 / 5 or De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver / 6 | 5% of $830,367 $861,052 $892,850 $925,805 $959,960 | 31 Oct 2030 | ||
| Port Williams | Port Williams Seaplane Base | Kodiak * | Redemption Inc. d.b.a.Island Air Service | Cessna 206 / 5 or De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver / 6 | 5% of $830,367 $861,052 $892,850 $925,805 $959,960 | 31 Oct 2030 | ||
| St. George | St. George Airport | Unalaska/Dutch Harbor | Grant Aviation | Beechcraft King Air / 9 | $2,093,959 $2,202,255 $2,316,036 | 30 Sep 2029 | ||
| San Juan / Uganik | San Juan (Uganik) Seaplane Base | Kodiak | Redemption Inc. d.b.a.Island Air Service | Cessna 206 / 5 or De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver / 6 | 10% of $830,367 $861,052 $892,850 $925,805 $959,960 | 31 Oct 2030 | ||
| Seal Bay | Seal Bay Seaplane Base | Kodiak | Redemption Inc. d.b.a.Island Air Service | Cessna 206 / 5 or De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver / 6 | 10% of $830,367 $861,052 $892,850 $925,805 $959,960 | 31 Oct 2030 | ||
| Tatitlek | Tatitlek Airport | Anchorage-Merrill Field | J & M Alaska Air Tours d.b.a. Alaska Air Transit | Cessna 208 CaravanEX / 9 | $327,454 $289,510 | 30 Sep 2027 | ||
| Tenakee Springs | Tenakee Seaplane Base | Juneau | Alaska Seaplanes | Cessna 208 Caravan / 9 Cessna 206 / 4 de Havilland Beaver / 6 | $157,447 $200,011 $252,340 $316,645 | 31 Jan 2027 | ||
| West Point | West Point Village Seaplane Base | Kodiak | Redemption Inc. d.b.a.Island Air Service | Cessna 206 / 5 or De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver / 6 | 12.5% of $830,367 $861,052 $892,850 $925,805 $959,960 | 31 Oct 2030 | ||
| Wrangell | Wrangell Airport | Ketchikan ----Juneau ----Seattle - Freighter | Alaska Airlines | Boeing 737-700 / 124 | $2,709,315 $338,778 | 30 Apr 2027 | ||
| Yakutat | Yakutat Airport | Anchorage ----Juneau | Alaska Airlines | Boeing 737-700 / 124 | $5,815,877 $24,076 | 30 Apr 2027 | ||
| Zachar Bay | Zachar Bay Seaplane Base | Kodiak | Redemption Inc. d.b.a.Island Air Service | Cessna 206 / 5 or De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver / 6 | 12.5% of $830,367 $861,052 $892,850 $925,805 $959,960 | 31 Oct 2030 |
Alternate Essential Air Service
The Alternate Essential Air Service program grants funds directly to the municipality or airport authority instead of the air carrier. This allows the community to recruit air service that would not otherwise meet EAS guidelines, such as more frequent service with smaller aircraft, less-than-daily service, flights to differing destinations at different times of the year or week, on-demand air taxi service, scheduled or on-demand ground surface transportation, regionalized air service, or even purchasing an aircraft. This alternative program has most often occurred as a public charter arrangement as prescribed by Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 380. The first airport to enter this program was Manistee County Blacker Airport in 2012.Community Flexibility Pilot Program
Under the Community Flexibility Pilot Program, established in 2003, up to ten communities can receive a grant equal to two years' worth of subsidy in exchange for forgoing their EAS service for ten years. These grants must be used to fund projects that will improve the airport for general aviation. As of 2020, only one community has ever taken advantage of the program:| State | Community | Airport | Total grant | Docket | Order | Expires |
| CA | Visalia | Visalia Municipal Airport | $3,703,368 | 30 Apr 2026 |