Airport classification criteria based on passenger characteristics and terminal size

This paper introduces classification criteria for airports that focus on the comparability of passenger terminal facilities. The variables used to define the criteria include terminal size in terms of number of gates, passenger characteristics in terms of international/domestic passenger volumes and transfer passenger volume. The study utilizes passenger data collected from the T-100 and airport origin/destination-survey databases of the US Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Cluster analysis is used as the technique to identify similar airport groups using passenger volumes as multiple variables. Finally, a set of criteria is defined, to differentiate airports based on the variables used.

► Classification criteria defining airports with comparable passenger terminal systems have been developed.
► Cluster analysis was performed using number of gates, international/domestic and transfer passenger volumes variables.
► Four groups are defined based on overall terminal size using number of gates as the variable.
► International airports are defined as airports where annual scheduled international passenger volume is greater than 12,000.
► Transfer airports are defined as airports where annual scheduled transfer passenger volume is greater than 500,000.