The Dane County Regional Airport held a press conference on Wednesday afternoon to announce just how much of an economic effect it had on the region in 2024 — $2.6 billion annually.
Other highlights at the media event revealed that the airport supports 10,176 jobs in the county and supports $425.3 million in wages and salaries. Activity by airport airlines and tenants resulted in direct business sales of $1.6 billion.
Dane County Executive Melissa Agard said the airport is “a thriving center of our community,” and it “supports paychecks for families.”
Last summer was the busiest summer of travel in the airport’s history, and last year the airport serviced more passengers than ever before. The addition of flights like a direct flight to Boston in June only grows the economic effect of the airport and gives those who live here opportunities for leisure travel.
“Dane County is even more connected and more competitive,” Agard said, thanks to a supportive community. “These investments are happening because Dane County is a place that people want to live, work, play and raise their families.”
Kevin Little, vice president of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, said it’s easy to underestimate the value of the airport and frame it only as transportation infrastructure.
“I think what this report does is it really puts context and scale into the substantial economic benefits that we all receive from the direct employment impacts, both the downstream impacts across our supply chains, professional services, hospitality and consumer spending.
“This airport is far more than infrastructure — it’s a regional catalyst.”
Little mentioned how Madison has knowledge-intensive industries that fuel the region’s economic growth, and that makes market access critical.
“Transportation connectivity consistently ranks alongside other important factors like workforce readiness and cost considerations,” Little said.
He also said increased access is a powerful tool for employee attraction and retention efforts, which is something Cardamom Health CEO Vivek Swaminathan echoed in an interview before the event.
“It has been a little bit of a journey,” Swaminathan said. “You know, even 10 years ago, it was a lot harder, and I think less people wanted to come here, or wanted to live here, I should say, from a recruiting standpoint. Now that’s changing a little bit.”
Airport director Mark Papko finished the presentation with a simple bit of info from the report: the airport maintains a $2.6 billion total impact while taking zero local tax dollars. And for every $1 investment at the airport, there is a $1.52 in return.
“That is paramount and like no other in this community,” Papko said.
He said this is only the starting point, not the finish line, as the county has just begun its airport master plan, which will bolster the airport in numerous ways, from expansion, to new amenities to even a possible international designation.
