Modeling Changes in Connectivity at U.S. Airports: A Small Community Perspective

Abstract

There currently exists no industry-standard model for measuring an airport's level of connectivity to the global air transportation network. This discussion paper introduces the Airport Connectivity Quality Index (ACQI)--a new intuitive metric to compute airport connectivity. Unlike other connectivity models, the ACQI considers both the quantity and quality of available non-stop and connecting destinations, as well as the frequency of service. The metric can be used to examine connectivity trends at a single airport across time or across multiple airports by category, region, or size. The discussion paper contains a thorough review of past work in connectivity and accessibility modeling, and the ACQI model formulation is discussed in detail. Trends in connectivity at airports of all sizes from 2007-2012 are reviewed and discussed. Particular attention is paid to connectivity at smaller airports, which have been largely ignored in other research. Appendices containing connectivity scores for 462 U.S. airports from 2007-2012 conclude the report.