A new report has found that Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) generates US$15.4bn annually in economic and fiscal impact through on-site and indirect activity across the 11-county region.
PHL supports 96,300 full-time jobs, with average annual earnings greater than US$50,000. The airport is self-sustaining and does not use local tax dollars, but still generates US$78m in annual tax revenue, the report by Econsult Solutions found.
It creates a combined US$295m in state tax revenues to the four states comprising the Philadelphia metropolitan statistical area (MSA), including US$255m for Pennsylvania.
Chellie Cameron, PHL’s CEO, commented, “We are very pleased with these results because they underscore the airport’s central role in the regional transportation network.
“A busy and cost-efficient airport is essential to the health of the regional economy and will help keep Philadelphia competitive. Our non-stop operations to more than 120 destinations connect the region to the rest of the country and the rest of the world, which enables businesses here to thrive and residents to enjoy an enhanced quality of life.”
The analysis is to serve as a baseline to track PHL’s progress and it to be repeated every two to three years. More than 30 million passengers use PHL every year, including 62% of passengers who originate their travel at PHL or whose destination is within the Philadelphia region.