Illinois Department of Transportation

09/28/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/28/2026 13:42

IDOT announces Airport of the Year Awards

SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced that six airports have received Airport of the Year awards in recognition of outstanding commitment to safety and customer satisfaction. The awards were presented today during the Illinois Public Airports Association fall conference in Galena.

"Airports help to drive the economy in their communities while connecting Illinois to the world," said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi. "We're grateful for the services airports provide and proud to recognize them for their exemplary work."

The winners were selected based on their accomplishments, including an outstanding partnership with IDOT and a strong commitment to customer safety and satisfaction. Among the award considerations are cooperation and coordination with the state, safety record, facility maintenance and promotion of aviation.

The 2026 recipients are: ​

  • MidAmerica St. Louis Airport ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Primary Airport of the Year
  • Chicago Executive Airport ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Reliever Airport of the Year
  • Albertus Airport ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Large General Aviation Airport of the Year
  • Tri-Township Airport ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Small General Aviation Airport of the Year
  • Carle Health Methodist Hospital ​ ​ ​ Restricted Landing Area Heliport of the Year
  • Thacker Airport ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Restricted Landing Area Airport of the Year

Illinois is home to almost 100 public airports and heliports, with nearly 3,000 aircraft registered with the Federal Aviation Administration. The system of airports supports more than 492,000 jobs, with a combined payroll of $21.9 billion and a total economic impact of $95.4 billion. Across the state, there are more than 700 aviation facilities, including heliports, balloon, glider and ultra-light landing facilities as well as grass landing strips.

To learn more about aviation in Illinois and the Illinois Aviation System Plan, visit www.ilaviation.com.

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Illinois Department of Transportation published this content on September 28, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 28, 2026 at 19:42 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]