Washington Manassas Airport in Virginia has received FAA Part 139 Airport Operating Certificate approval, clearing the city-owned airfield to handle certain commercial passenger flights for the first time in 53 years. The certification gives the airport in Manassas, about 40 miles west of Washington, D.C., the regulatory basis to pursue scheduled airline service, although no carrier or launch date has yet been publicly confirmed.
The certificate is a key safety and operations requirement for commercial service airports and covers areas including emergency response, wildlife management, runway and taxiway conditions, firefighting capability and staff training. FAA Associate Administrator for Airports Dan Edwards presented the certificate to airport leaders at a ceremony on Monday. Airport director Juan Rivera has indicated the facility could initially support a small number of round-trip flights a day to leisure destinations once service begins.
The approval positions Washington Manassas as the fourth commercial airport in the Washington region and the 10th in Virginia. Formerly known as Manassas Regional Airport, the facility has long been Virginia’s busiest general aviation airport and has been undergoing redevelopment to support passenger operations, including terminal and airfield work. Industry estimates have put the first flights as late as 2027, but the exact airline, route network and opening date remain undecided.