The Federal Aviation Administration has granted Washington Manassas Airport a Part 139 Airport Operating Certificate, clearing the northern Virginia field for certain commercial passenger operations and moving the Washington, D.C. region closer to a fourth commercial airport. The certification, issued on 31 August, covers the federal safety standards required for scheduled airline service, but no carrier or route has yet been announced.
The airport, formerly Manassas Regional Airport, is owned by the city of Manassas and sits about 40 miles west of Washington. Part 139 certification requires compliance with standards covering runway and taxiway conditions, aircraft rescue and firefighting, emergency planning, wildlife management and staff training. FAA officials presented the certificate at a ceremony with airport and city leaders.
The approval removes the last major federal hurdle cited in recent coverage and follows environmental clearance for the airport’s commercial-service redevelopment programme. Washington Manassas is the first Virginia airport to receive an FAA operating certificate in more than 50 years. Airport management has pointed to a possible service start in late 2027, though that timing remains an expectation rather than a confirmed launch date.