Phoenix Deer Valley Airport Operations Up 33% in a Decade, FAA Projects Further Growth to 600,000 by 2045
Why It MattersThe projection signals sustained demand growth at secondary general-aviation airports, a trend that shapes how regional airports plan capacity, staffing and infrastructure investment over multi-decade horizons.
What happened
Phoenix Deer Valley Airport has recorded approximately 33% growth in annual aircraft operations over the past decade. Operations climbed from 369,759 in 2015 to 490,702 in 2025.
The Federal Aviation Administration projects operations at the airport will reach approximately 550,000 by 2030 and around 600,000 by 2045.
Industry impact & what to watch
This case illustrates how general-aviation airports track long-term demand using FAA operational forecasts spanning decades rather than single years, allowing planners to size runways, taxiways and support facilities against projected traffic rather than current volumes alone.
Such forecasts typically inform capital planning cycles, staffing decisions and environmental review processes well ahead of the traffic actually materializing, meaning the 600,000 figure for 2045 functions as a planning benchmark rather than a guarantee.
Whether Deer Valley's operations track the FAA's 550,000 by 2030 milestone will be the near-term indicator of whether the longer 2045 projection holds.
