Chicago Executive Airport

What Chicago Executive Airport does

Chicago Executive Airport (KPWK) is a publicly owned general aviation reliever airport operated under an Intergovernmental Cooperative Agreement between the City of Prospect Heights and the Village of Wheeling, Illinois. Founded in 1926 as Gauthiers Flying Field and renamed Chicago Executive Airport in 2006, the facility spans 412+ acres with three active runways, an FAA-staffed air traffic control tower, ILS precision approach, and EMAS safety systems on the primary runway. It is the 4th busiest airport in Illinois and 3rd busiest in the Chicago metropolitan area, logging roughly 100,000 annual takeoffs and landings and serving as home base for 325 aircraft including 57 corporate jets serving Fortune 100 operators.

The airport generates revenue through a diversified mix of streams: recurring T-hangar and tie-down rentals (T-hangars on waitlist), FBO lease revenue from three on-site operators (Atlantic Aviation, Signature Aviation, Ascension Global Aviation), transaction-based U.S. Customs user fees ($200-$1,750 by weight class), commercial operating permit fees, filming fees, and FAA/IDOT capital grants. It is supported by a 100+ tenant ecosystem of flight schools (ATP, Synergy, Chicago Executive Flight School), charter operators (Priester, NJet, SC Aviation), and maintenance providers. The airport funds its operations entirely from user revenue without burdening municipal taxes and runs with a lean 16-person administrative staff.

The company is currently executing the largest development in its history: a 16-acre, 300,000+ square foot corporate hangar campus in partnership with Sky Harbour, targeted for 2026 completion. Supporting initiatives include the FAA-funded QuieterHome sound insulation program administered by C&S Engineers, the 2021-launched on-site U.S. Customs facility (awarded AAAE 2022 GA Architectural Project of the Year), and the January 2026 FONSI for Runway 6-24 decommissioning to free up land for redevelopment. Ownership remains with the two founding municipalities under a long-standing cooperative framework.

Name

Chicago Executive Airport

Legal name

Chicago Executive Airport

Website

https://chiexec.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chicago Executive Airport is a publicly owned general aviation reliever airport in Wheeling, Illinois, serving private aircraft owners, Fortune 100 corporate flight departments, flight schools, and charter operators with three runways, an FAA ATC tower, and 100,000 annual operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

General Aviation Airport Services

NAICS

Airport Operations (48811), Other Airport Operations (488119)

SIC

Airports, Flying Fields & Airport Terminal Services (4581)

akta.pro primary industry

Aviation Infrastructure Agencies (Public Airports, Airfield Ops, Ground Access) (BPAIALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Aviation Terminals & FBO Services (THABAFAH), Flight Operations Control & Dispatch (OCC/IOCC) (THABAIAA), General Aviation (FBO) & Private Jet Security Services (BPAKAMAK)

Keywords

• General aviation airport
• Airport operations
• Corporate aviation services
• Aircraft hangar rentals
• Aviation infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Wheeling

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Hangar and Tie-Down Rentals: Revenue from T-hangar permits, tie-down fees, and community hangar (Hangar 5/6) rentals. T-hangars have waiting lists; tie-downs charged per aircraft type.
2. U.S. Customs User Fees: Fees charged for customs clearance based on aircraft weight class: Class 1 (single engine piston) $200, Class 2 (turboprops/jets <8,000 lbs) $450, Class 3 (8,000-30,000 lbs) $1,200, Class 4 (>30,000 lbs) $1,750, plus overtime surcharges
3. Commercial Operating Permits: Fees from commercial operators operating at the airport including flight schools, charter services, and maintenance providers
4. FBO Lease Revenue: Fixed Base Operations (Ascension, Atlantic Aviation, Signature Aviation) pay lease fees for facilities and ramp space
5. Commercial Filming Fees: Fees for commercial photography and filming on airport property: $250/day weekday, $500/day weekend, or $50-100/hour
6. Federal and State Funding: FAA and Illinois Department of Transportation funding for capital improvements. No effect on municipal taxes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Chicago Executive Airport (KPWK) is a government-owned general aviation reliever airport operating three runways with FAA-staffed air traffic control, on-site U.S. Customs clearance, T-hangar and tie-down aircraft storage, and lease space for Fixed Base Operators (FBOs), flight schools, charter operators, and maintenance providers. The airport spans 412+ acres, hosts 325 aircraft (including 57 corporate jets), and serves approximately 100,000 annual takeoffs and landings as a primary reliever for Chicago O'Hare.

Product overview

Chicago Executive Airport (KPWK) is a general aviation reliever airport operated as an intergovernmental cooperative between the City of Prospect Heights and Village of Wheeling. The airport offers core runway operations with three active runways (16/34 with ILS/EMAS, 12/30, and 6/24), FAA-staffed air traffic control tower, and aircraft storage facilities including T-hangars, tie-downs, and community hangars. Supporting services include three Fixed Base Operators (Ascension, Atlantic, Signature), multiple flight schools, aircraft charter operators, maintenance/cleaning services, and a U.S. Customs clearance facility for international arrivals. The airport also operates the QuieterHome Program for residential sound insulation and provides community amenities including a public aircraft viewing area, airport tours, and the annual Run the Runway 5K event.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• QuieterHome Program: Residential sound insulation program administered by Chicago Executive Airport in partnership with the FAA, providing noise reduction improvements to qualifying homes near the airport.

Products and services

• Chicago Executive Airport (KPWK) Runway Operations General aviation reliever airport providing 24/7 runway access, FAA-staffed air traffic control tower, three active runways including a 5,001-foot precision runway with ILS approach, and EMAS safety systems. Serves private aircraft owners, corporate flight departments, and charter operators in the Chicago metropolitan area.
• T-Hangar and Tie-Down Rentals Aircraft storage facilities including T-hangar rentals (with maintained waitlist due to full occupancy) and exterior tie-down parking at $145/month for single engine and $161/month for twin engine aircraft. Provides based aircraft storage for private owners and corporate aviation operators.
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection Facility On-site U.S. Customs and Border Protection office operating Monday-Friday 11am-7pm for international aircraft arrivals. Charges weight-class-based user fees ranging from $200 (single engine piston) to $1,750 (aircraft over 30,000 lbs) plus overtime and surcharges.
• FBO Leasing and On-Field Services Lease and ramp space provided to three competing Fixed Base Operators—Ascension Global Aviation, Atlantic Aviation, and Signature Aviation—that deliver fueling, hangarage, ground handling, and passenger services to arriving aircraft.
• Commercial Operating Permits

Quantifiable outcome

• 100,000 annual takeoffs and landings
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• City of Prospect HeightscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 December 1986City of Prospect Heights and Village of Wheeling jointly purchased Palwaukee Airport from Priester Aviation on December 26, 1986, transitioning it from private to public ownership. Both municipalities govern the airport through an Intergovernmental Cooperative Agreement and contribute members to the Board of Directors.
• Village of WheelingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 December 1986Village of Wheeling and City of Prospect Heights jointly own and govern Chicago Executive Airport under an Intergovernmental Cooperative Agreement. The municipalities fund airport operations through airport revenues without effect on municipal taxes.
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAA provides funding for airport improvements, staffs the air traffic control tower, conducts noise studies, and provides oversight. FAA contributed funding for the original airport purchase in 1986.
• C&S EngineerscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerC&S Engineers administers the QuieterHome Program for Chicago Executive Airport, managing sound insulation improvements to qualifying homes funded 90% by FAA and 10% by the airport.
• Illinois Department of TransportationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIDOT contributed funding toward the original purchase of Palwaukee Airport in 1986 as part of the federal-state-municipal funding partnership.
• Sky HarbourmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSky Harbour is developing 16 acres at Chicago Executive Airport with planned completion in 2026. This is described as the largest development in the airport's history, including more than 300,000 square feet of corporate hangar facilities.
• Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association (AOPA)minorOthersAOPA is listed as an aviation organization available to Chicago Executive Airport pilots and users.
• Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)minorOthersEAA and EAA Young Eagles program operate at Chicago Executive Airport, providing youth aviation education and exposure.
• National Business Aviation Association (NBAA)minorOthersNBAA is listed as an aviation organization available to Chicago Executive Airport pilots and corporate operators.
• Civil Air Patrol (CAP)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivil Air Patrol squadron at PWK serves as volunteer search and rescue team for the area and provides aviation leadership training to young people. Charlie Boyle led the squadron for 19 years starting in 1986, growing it from 10 to 100 volunteers.
• Women in Aviation International - Chicago's Leading Edge ChapterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRun the Runway event proceeds support Chicago's Leading Edge chapter and other organizations providing scholarships for women pursuing aviation careers.
• Chicago Executive Pilots AssociationminorOthersLocal pilots association serving Chicago Executive Airport community.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Centennial Airport (APA): Denver-area general aviation reliever airport operating with similar business model: multiple FBOs, flight schools, corporate aviation base, and 300,000+ operations annually. Closest scale and operating peer to CEA.
• DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK): Atlanta metro GA reliever airport with comparable based-aircraft counts, multiple FBOs, flight training operators, and corporate jet activity serving a major US metro area.
• Van Nuys Airport (VNY): Los Angeles reliever airport with similar corporate aviation intensity, multiple FBO operators, and noise-constrained operating environment analogous to CEA's Chicago metro context.
• Addison Airport (ADS): Dallas-area GA reliever with comparable tenant mix of FBOs, charter operators, flight schools, and corporate jet basing. Operates as publicly-owned facility serving corporate and recreational GA.
• Scottsdale Airport (SDL): Phoenix metro GA airport with strong corporate aviation focus, multiple FBOs, and similar high-end based-aircraft composition. Comparable scale and tenant ecosystem to CEA.
• Republic Airport (FRG): Long Island NY GA reliever with similar based-corporate-jet composition, multiple FBO presence, and proximity to a major commercial hub (in this case JFK/LGA).
• Oakland County International Airport (PTK): Detroit-area GA reliever with similar publicly-owned operating model, multiple FBOs, flight training schools, and corporate aviation tenants serving a major US metro.
• Flying Cloud Airport (FCM): Minneapolis-area GA reliever airport with comparable flight school, FBO, and corporate tenant mix serving the Twin Cities metro.

Broad incumbents

• Atlantic Aviation: National FBO chain that operates as a tenant at CEA. As a broad incumbent in the GA services space, Atlantic offers comparable customer-facing flight support services and shares the same corporate aviation customer base.

Emerging players

• Sky Harbour Group: Corporate hangar development specialist currently building 300,000+ sq ft at CEA. Comparable business line of building and operating corporate hangar campuses at business aviation airports across the US.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/chicagoexecutiveairport
• Xx.com/PWKChiexec

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Executive Airport