Chicago Rockford International Airport

Name

Chicago Rockford International Airport

Legal name

Greater Rockford Airport Authority

Website

https://flyrfd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Airport Operations & Aviation Infrastructure

NAICS

Airport Operations (48811), Scheduled Freight Air Transportation (481112), Support Activities for Air Transportation (4881)

SIC

Airports, Flying Fields & Airport Terminal Services (4581), Air Courier Services (4513)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Express Parcel Carriers (Air + Ground) (THABAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Airport Ground Transport Terminals (Rail/Bus/Coach) (THAIALAG), Private Aviation Terminals & FBO Services (THABAFAH)

Keywords

• Air cargo operations
• Passenger airline services
• Airport infrastructure
• Aircraft maintenance services
• Foreign trade zone

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Cargo Operations: Landing fees, cargo handling fees, and facility charges from cargo airlines and freight forwarders. Revenue from major cargo tenants including UPS (second-largest hub in North America) and Amazon Air operations.
2. Passenger Services: Revenue from passenger airlines operating at the airport including Allegiant Air, American Airlines/Landline, and Apple Vacations through landing fees, terminal fees, and passenger facility charges.
3. Parking Operations: Daily parking fees ranging from $8 (advance booking) to $9 (drive-up) plus $12 valet parking. SP+ Airport Services manages all parking services.
4. Real Estate and Property Development: Rental income from aviation maintenance facilities (AAR, Emery Air, Chronos Aviation), FBO operations, and land leases. Airport encompasses nearly 3,000 acres with development opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Chicago Rockford International Airport operates as a dual-purpose commercial aviation hub providing scheduled passenger airline services through Allegiant, American Airlines/Landline, and Apple Vacations, alongside air cargo operations anchored by UPS's second-largest North American hub and a major Amazon Air base. The airport also offers general aviation FBO services, a 238,000 sq ft AAR aircraft maintenance facility, Foreign Trade Zone #176 property development on nearly 3,000 acres, and supporting amenities including parking, ground transportation, and terminal facilities.

Product overview

Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) operates as a dual-purpose aviation hub offering passenger airline services and air cargo operations. The airport serves commercial passengers through Allegiant Air, American Airlines/Landline (connecting to Chicago O'Hare), and Apple Vacations charters, while its cargo operations include the second-largest UPS hub in North America and Amazon Air base. The 3,000-acre facility also supports general aviation through FBO services (Emery Air), a major MRO facility operated by AAR Corp., aircraft sales, and property development within Foreign Trade Zone #176. Supporting amenities include terminal facilities, parking, ground transportation, and accessibility programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MilesAhead: RFD's exclusive free email registration service that brings weekly deals, service updates, and airport news to subscribers.
• Landline

Products and services

• Passenger Airline Services Commercial passenger flights operated by Allegiant Air (domestic destinations including Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix, Tampa, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Nashville, Fort Lauderdale), American Airlines via Landline partnership connecting to Chicago O'Hare, and Apple Vacations (charter flights to international destinations including Cancun, Liberia, Punta Cana).
• Cargo Operations Air cargo handling and freight services, including the second-largest UPS hub in North America, Amazon Air base operations, and international freighter services from freight forwarders including DSV connecting to Luxembourg, Incheon, Shanghai, Chennai, and Jinan. Handled 1.5 million tonnes of cargo in 2025.
• AAR Aircraft Maintenance Facility 238,000 square foot MRO facility operated by AAR Corp. with two 10-story hangars capable of servicing multiple wide-body aircraft including Boeing 747s, 787s, and Airbus A380s.
• Emery Air FBO Services Full-service Fixed Base Operator offering aircraft maintenance, avionics, fuel, ground support, and 24/7 operations for corporate and commercial aircraft. Operating at RFD for over 55 years.
• Property Development (Foreign Trade Zone #176) Commercial real estate development on nearly 3,000 acres of airport land with Foreign Trade Zone #176 designation, sites ranging from 1 to 88 acres, and proximity to major highways I-90, I-39, and U.S. 20.
• American Airlines Landline Service Daily motorcoach service connecting RFD to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), allowing passengers to clear TSA at RFD and access over 350 domestic and international destinations via American Airlines.
• Parking Services On-site parking with over 1,750 spaces, including daily parking ($8 advance, $9 drive-up), valet parking ($12/day), car wash services, and cell phone lot. Managed by SP+ Airport Services.
• General Aviation Services Non-commercial aviation services including FBO operations, aircraft sales, avionics, and pilot training through Rock Valley College's FAA-approved Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certificate program.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9.5% year-over-year cargo growth in 2025, reaching 1.5 million tonnes
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• DSVcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 July 2026Freight forwarder DSV launched a scheduled weekly freighter service between Chicago Rockford International Airport and Incheon International Airport in South Korea, departing on Saturdays. This builds on existing connections to Shanghai Pudong (November 2025) and Luxembourg Airport (June 2026), positioning RFD as a strategic cargo gateway linking Asia, Europe, and the Americas. DSV also plans to introduce service connecting Chicago Rockford with Chennai International Airport later in 2026.
• DSVcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026Partnership expanded with new weekly freight service connecting Luxembourg to Chicago Rockford, building upon existing Shanghai-to-Rockford route. Partnership aims to strengthen global supply chain links between Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
• UPScoreOthersUPS operates its second-largest regional parcel-sorting center at RFD, representing a major tenant and significant cargo volume contributor to the airport.
• Amazon AircoreOthersAmazon Air has a major base of operations at RFD for its air cargo network.
• AAR Corp.coreOthersAAR Corp operates a 238,000 square foot MRO facility at RFD with two 10-story hangars capable of servicing all aircraft platforms. The facility can accommodate up to 4 Boeing B787s or 2 Airbus A380s simultaneously and is the only US hangar not linked to an airline capable of servicing the A380.
• Rock Valley CollegesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Rock Valley College (RVC) to build aviation maintenance training school at the airport. The AMT Program promotes economic development and positions a strongly educated workforce for the region. Companies like AAR, Woodward, Collins Aerospace, B/E Aerospace, and GE Aviation benefit from the trained workforce.
• Emery AircoreOthersFull-service FBO and FAA-approved Part 145 aircraft maintenance facility operating at RFD for over 55 years. Specializes in corporate and business aircraft, avionics, and regional airliners. Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days each year.
• HillwoodsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHillwood is developing a 334,800 sq ft logistics facility at RFD, expected to open in April 2027, expanding the airport's cargo handling and logistics capabilities.
• American Airlines / LandlinecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmerican Airlines, in partnership with The Landline Company, offers daily service from RFD to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), providing seamless access to more than 350 domestic and international destinations. Passengers check in at RFD, clear TSA in Rockford, and board motorcoach to O'Hare gate area.
• DB SchenkersupportingOthersInternational tier one freight forwarder operating at RFD for cargo services.
• SENATORsupportingOthersInternational tier one freight forwarder operating at RFD for cargo services.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Indianapolis International Airport (IND): Operated by the Indianapolis Airport Authority, IND is a mid-size US airport with a major FedEx Express hub alongside passenger service — directly comparable to RFD's mix of UPS/Amazon Air cargo with Allegiant-led passenger flights.
• Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE): Mid-size US airport with a significant Amazon Air presence and growing cargo operations — comparable to RFD as a secondary cargo airport anchored by Amazon and integrator demand.
• Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG): CVG is the principal North American hub for DHL Express and a major Amazon Air base with limited passenger service — a closely comparable mid-tier cargo-led airport model with similar anchor-tenant concentration.
• Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK): Cargo-focused airport in Columbus, Ohio with strong integrator presence (Amazon Air, FedEx) and FTZ designation — comparable in size, cargo orientation, and FTZ-driven real estate development to RFD.
• Fort Worth Alliance Airport (AFW): Cargo-focused reliever airport in the Dallas–Fort Worth metro that hosts Amazon Air, FedEx, and major MRO operations — analogous to RFD as a cargo-anchored secondary airport with significant MRO infrastructure.

Regional players

• Ontario International Airport (ONT): Cargo-and-passenger airport in the Inland Empire serving the Los Angeles basin, with major Amazon Air and integrator activity — comparable in cargo-and-passenger mix, though operating in a different (West Coast) geography.
• MidAmerica St. Louis Airport (BLV): Mid-size cargo-and-passenger airport serving the St. Louis metro area with significant freight activity — comparable in scale and dual-use model to RFD, though operating in a different Midwest geography.

Broad incumbents

• Memphis International Airport (MEM): Home of the FedEx SuperHub and historically the world's largest cargo airport by tonnage; relevant as a larger-scale cargo airport benchmark and a primary competitor for integrator volumes in the central US.
• Anchorage Ted Stevens International Airport (ANC): One of the largest cargo airports in the world by tonnage, driven by Asia–North America freighter traffic; comparable as a high-volume air cargo facility with significant integrator and charter activity, though at much larger scale.
• Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF): Operates UPS Worldport, the global air express hub for UPS; comparable as an integrator-dominated cargo airport and the larger rival to RFD's UPS regional sorting center.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/flyrfd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chicago Rockford International Airport