Boulder Municipal Airport

Boulder · Est. 1928

KBDU
Overview Key Issues Legal Cases Studies Communications News Resources
51,358
Annual Operations
281
Jobs
$78.3M
Business Revenue
3
Angel Flight Missions

About Boulder Municipal

Boulder Municipal Airport is the oldest continuously operating municipal airport in Colorado, established in 1928. Despite its modest 179-acre footprint and 51,000+ annual operations, it generates $78.3M in business revenue and supports 281 jobs. The airport has been the target of repeated closure attempts by the city, culminating in a federal lawsuit that was dismissed in 2025. The court upheld FAA perpetual operating requirements, and Boulder declined to appeal.

Economic Impact — 2025 Colorado Aviation Economic Impact Study

281 jobs
$23.3M payroll
$46.4M value added
$78.3M business revenue

Key Issues

Closure Campaign

Multiple campaigns have sought to decommission the airport and convert the 179-acre site to mixed-income housing. A ballot measure was filed in 2024 but withdrawn after the federal lawsuit was filed. Housing advocates argue the land could serve 1,000+ housing units.

Federal Lawsuit (Dismissed)

City of Boulder filed suit against the U.S. government seeking relief from perpetual airport operating obligations. Federal court dismissed the case in September 2025. Judge Wang ruled Boulder's Quiet Title Act claim failed — no present disputed title, only future uncertainty. Boulder declined to appeal in November 2025.

Unleaded Fuel Transition

Boulder Airport set timeline in February 2026 for phasing out leaded avgas, joining other Colorado airports in the transition.

FAA Grant Obligations

The airport has received federal funding since 1959, creating perpetual operating obligations. The FAA 's 2023 closure letter explicitly stated these obligations cannot be unilaterally terminated by the city.

Studies & Reports

KBDU Financial Analysis Memo

July 2024 · Aviation Analysts

Financial analysis of airport operations, revenue sources, and economic viability.

KBDU Noise Abatement White Paper

December 2023 · Boulder Aviation Association

Analysis of noise issues and proposed voluntary abatement procedures for Boulder Municipal Airport.

KBDU History

· CPA Research

Historical documentation of Boulder Municipal Airport from 1928 to present.

Official Communications & Documents

Letters, memoranda, and formal correspondence between aviation authorities, local government, and community stakeholders.

Boulder City Council Study Session

May 27, 2026 · AOPA/CPA

Aviation advocacy organizations urge Boulder City Council to accept FAA Airport Improvement Program grants, citing safety upgrades, reduced local financial burden, job creation, and economic benefits. The letter emphasizes that federal funding for airport infrastructure is essential for maintaining compliance with safety standards and supporting regional economic competitiveness.

Aviation advocacy organizations urge Boulder City Council to accept FAA Airport Improvement Program grant funds, emphasizing safety infrastructure investments, reduced local financial burden, and economic benefits including job creation and regional competitiveness.

Primary compliance and management documentation for KBDU operations.

SSB Urges City to End FAA Lawsuit

October 1, 2025 · Boulder SSB

Sustainability, Safety and Resilience Board urges Boulder to drop the federal lawsuit against FAA airport obligations.

What Were They Thinking?

August 1, 2024 · CPA

CPA analysis questioning the logic of Boulder's airport closure campaign.

Fact sheet prepared for public meeting on airport future.

FAA explicitly states perpetual operating obligations cannot be unilaterally terminated.

1977 Grant Agreement

January 1, 1977 · FAA

Federal grant agreement establishing operating obligations for Boulder Municipal Airport.

1959 Grant Agreement

January 1, 1959 · FAA

The original 1959 federal grant agreement between the FAA and the City of Boulder, establishing the grant assurances that require the airport to remain open to aeronautical use. A load-bearing document for federal preemption arguments against airport closure.

News & Developments

Sep 9, 2026
This Week in GA: Sustainability Gains (AvBrief) This week's sustainability gains in general aviation include Beringer wheels and Eve Air Mobility, Beta Technologies and SurfAir flying in Hawaii, Swift 94UL now at the Boulder airport, Gulfstream flying…
Aug 13, 2026
Colorado city ends yearslong effort to close airport (AOPA News) After at least six years of repeated efforts to close Boulder Municipal Airport, the city of Boulder, Colorado, is now moving to pursue new grant funds to maintain the airport—all…
Jul 26, 2026
Boulder Council Member Resigns Over Airport Vote (AVweb)
Jul 2, 2026
Boulder Adds UL94 Under Transition Plan (AVweb) The airport is offering unleaded avgas ahead of Colorado’s 2030 phaseout timeline.
May 28, 2026
Boulder Airport Study Session Faces Legal Scrutiny (AVweb)
May 22, 2026
Boulder Signals Long-Term Commitment To Municipal Airport Boulder officials in Colorado are preparing to formalize a policy that would keep Boulder Municipal Airport in operation for the foreseeable future after a divided City Council signaled support during an April 23 study session.
Apr 8, 2026
Action Alert: Boulder Airport Needs Your Support — City Council Study Session April 23 (Save Boulder Airport Committee) The Boulder City Council will decide on April 23 whether to support the airport"s continued existence and pursue FAA grants for the first time since 2020. The Save Boulder Airport Committee has prepared talking points for community members to communicate with City Council. Key issues include: \M taxpayer cost if airport closes, wildfire response infrastructure, 84% community support in 2023 survey, \M economic impact, and housing concerns.
Feb 26, 2026
Boulder Airport sets timeline for phasing out leaded avgas (AVweb) Boulder Municipal Airport plans to offer unleaded aviation fuel by late 2026 under a state-mandated phase-out of leaded avgas by 2030, with incentives like STC reimbursement to encourage pilot adoption. This aligns Colorado airports with the FAA's national EAGLE initiative while addressing environmental concerns, though specific fuel type, infrastructure requirements, and cost details remain to be finalized.
Nov 18, 2025
Questions linger following Boulder Airport lawsuit dismissal (AVweb) # Synopsis for CPA Timeline: Fuel/Environmental Developments Boulder, Colorado chose not to appeal a federal court dismissal of its lawsuit seeking clarification on long-term operating obligations at Boulder Municipal Airport, deciding instead to forgo future federal grants to preserve land-use flexibility after 2040. This decision leaves unresolved a fundamental disagreement with the FAA over whether the city must operate the airport in perpetuity or only through 2040, creating ongoing uncertainty for GA operations at KBDU while limiting the airport's access to federal funding for improvements and maintenance.
Nov 14, 2025
Boulder will not appeal recent airport ruling (City of Boulder) Boulder city officials have decided not to appeal a federal court ruling dismissing their challenge to the requirement that a 1991 grant obligates them to operate Boulder Municipal Airport indefinitely; the city maintains it is only obligated until 2040 and will continue prioritizing safety upgrades and exploring unleaded fuel options in the interim.
Feb 23, 2025
Boulder City Council advances new development guidelines for East Boulder (Boulder Reporting Lab) This article concerns Boulder city housing development and does not relate to aviation fuel, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), environmental regulations affecting general aviation, or airport operations. It is not relevant to GA pilots and should not be included in a fuel/environmental developments timeline for the Colorado Pilots Association.
Nov 8, 2024
Authorities move to dismiss Boulder airport lawsuit (Daily Camera) Boulder Airport authorities moved to dismiss a lawsuit challenging airport operations, with implications for ongoing community and regulatory disputes affecting general aviation access at the facility.
Aug 28, 2024
Ballot measure to close Boulder airport withdrawn amid FAA lawsuit (Boulder Reporting Lab) Boulder organizers withdrew ballot measures that would have closed Boulder Municipal Airport and redeveloped the land for affordable housing, primarily due to a pending FAA lawsuit asserting the city's legal obligation to maintain the airport's operations. This decision preserves federal airport operating agreements that GA pilots and communities depend on, while avoiding costly litigation that could have disrupted local aviation infrastructure.
Aug 6, 2024
Ground the red herring and save our airport (BizWest) I appreciate your request, but I'm unable to create a synopsis from this content. The article excerpt provided contains only website navigation menus and structural elements—no actual article text about airport issues, fuel developments, or environmental matters. To write an accurate synopsis for CPA members, I would need the substantive article content addressing what concerns are being raised about KBDU and why they matter to general aviation pilots. Please provide the full article text, and I'll be happy to deliver a concise, factual summary.
Jul 30, 2024
Colorado city challenges airport grant obligation in federal court (AOPA) I cannot provide a synopsis based on the excerpt provided. The article text appears to be truncated and consists primarily of website navigation menus rather than actual article content about the Colorado city's airport grant challenge. To write an accurate synopsis for the CPA timeline, I would need the full article text describing the specific legal challenge, its outcome, and relevance to GA operations.
Jun 9, 2024
Closing the Boulder Municipal Airport: flight of fancy or city's best option? (BizWest) I cannot provide a synopsis of this article as requested. The provided text appears to be only website navigation elements and menu structures from BizWest, rather than the actual article content discussing Boulder Municipal Airport closure. To write an accurate synopsis for Colorado Pilots Association members, I would need the substantive article text addressing the airport closure proposal and its rationale.
Mar 1, 2024
Residents rally in support of Boulder Airport amid closure debate (AVweb) Boulder Municipal Airport faces closure pressure from residents citing noise and leaded fuel concerns, but the FAA opposes decommissioning due to the city's federal grant obligations and the airport's role in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems—making closure legally and financially prohibitive for the community. This debate highlights ongoing tensions between general aviation infrastructure needs and environmental/noise concerns that GA pilots should monitor for potential precedent-setting implications.
Feb 16, 2024
Neighbors cite lead in bid to close Boulder Airport (AVweb) # Synopsis for CPA Timeline Neighbors of Boulder Municipal Airport (KBDU) have launched a campaign to decommission the airport, citing health concerns from leaded aviation fuel emissions and noise pollution as key reasons to convert the 179-acre site into a mixed-use neighborhood. While the city council is analyzing legal and financial options, closure would require release from FAA grant obligations, making the outcome uncertain.
Feb 14, 2024
Petition aims to build momentum toward decommissioning Boulder airport (Daily Camera) # Synopsis for CPA Timeline A petition has been launched in Boulder seeking to decommission Boulder Airport (KBDU), representing a potential threat to general aviation operations in the region and reflecting growing community pressure against airport operations in populated areas.
Jul 18, 2023
City of Boulder considers what to do with airport (YouTube) I appreciate your request, but the article excerpt provided appears to be only YouTube's standard header/footer information without actual news content about Boulder's airport considerations. To write an accurate synopsis for the CPA timeline, I would need the substantive article text discussing what specific actions the City of Boulder is considering and how they relate to fuel or environmental issues affecting general aviation operations at KBDU. Could you provide the full article content?
Watch: City of Boulder considers what to do with airport
Jun 14, 2014
Flood rescue crews honored at Boulder Airport Day — airport served as staging base (KDVR) Boulder Airport served as a critical staging base for regional flood rescue and emergency response operations, demonstrating the vital role general aviation airports play in disaster relief efforts.

Related

Noise Abatement (KBDU) Fuel & Environmental Landing Fees Community Value Legislative Tracker Airport Network Report an Issue

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