Analysis
NAICS 488119 is the 2022 national industry for other airport operations, part of 48811 (Airport Operations). Census lists 15 example activities under it in the official index.
County Business Patterns counts 2,373 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 140,874 people at an average annual payroll of $38,366 per employee (8th percentile of national industries). 27% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments grew 19% and employment rose 16%. The 2018 count used NAICS 2017, so part of a large move can come from codes being redefined rather than from businesses opening or closing.
By establishments it ranks 1st of the 2 codes at this level within Airport Operations, with 91.8% of them.
Census lists 5 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 488111, 33641, 424720 and 561720. Businesses that do several things are classified by their primary activity, the one that generates the most value, so check those boundaries before settling on this code.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include aircraft hangar rental, aircraft parking service, airport baggage handling services and airport cargo handling services, among 15 in all.
Official definition
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in (1) operating international, national, or civil airports, or public flying fields or (2) supporting airport operations, such as rental of hangar space, and providing baggage handling and/or cargo handling services.
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Providing air traffic control (except military) services | 488111 Air Traffic Control |
| Providing factory conversion, overhaul, and rebuilding of aircraft | 33641 Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing |
| Wholesaling fuel at airports | 424720 Petroleum and Petroleum Products Merchant Wholesalers (except Bulk Stations and Terminals) |
| Providing airport janitorial services | 561720 Janitorial Services |
| Providing food services at airports on a contractual arrangement (i.e., food service contractors) | 722310 Food Service Contractors |
Index entries (15)
- Aircraft hangar rental
- Aircraft parking service
- Airport baggage handling services
- Airport cargo handling services
- Airport operators (e.g., civil, international, national)
- Airport runway maintenance services
- Airports, civil, operation and maintenance
- Aviation clubs, primarily providing flying field services to the general public
- Fixed base operators
- Flying field operators
- Hangar rental, aircraft
- Maintenance services, runway
- Parking services, aircraft
- Runway maintenance services
- Vacuuming of airport runways