Billings staff recommend airport change

A long-anticipated change in oversight might soon be coming to the Billings Logan International Airport.

During an upcoming meeting, City Council is expected to vote on whether to keep operational oversight of the airport under its own authority or to transfer it to a newly created airport authority as recommend by city staff.

"Staff recommends approval of the resolution of intent to create an airport authority and adopt the Airport Governance Advisory Committee's," city documents regarding the recommendation read.

Currently, the Billings airport is the only commercial airport in Montana under municipal control and a situation many have long sought to change.

In the fall of 2025, council allocated nearly $1 million to study the possibility of shifting operational responsibility and authority out of the city's control to a newly formed airport authority.

An Airport Governance Advisory Committee was formed and a consulting firm, Stephen Baldwin and Associates, was hired to study the concept.

After several months of work, the committee came back with a recommendation to transfer oversight to a newly created airport authority, according to city documents.

Should council vote to deny the recommendation, no changes will be made, and they will retain operational authority of the airport moving forward.

However, if the recommendation is approved, the transfer process will begin and require the formation of a Transition Steering Committee for oversight purposes.