Department of Aviation – BGA Policy 2024 Budget Snapshot

The Department of Aviation is a self-funded department. Appropriations for Aviation are drawn from the O’Hare and Midway funds, as well as grants.

Snapshot: Appropriation & Staffing Changes from 2023 Budget

	2023 Budgeted	2024 Proposed	Net Change	Percent Change
Appropriations	$1,201,844,333	$1,420,363,316	$218,518,983	18.2%
Positions & FTEs	2157	2238	81	3.8%

Departmental Highlights

The Department of Aviation is the third-largest department by appropriations in the 2024 budget proposal, following CPD and CDOT. It is fifth-largest by headcount, following CPD, CFD, DWM, and DSS.
CDOA appropriations are up 18.2% in the 2024 budget proposal, significantly higher than average historic growth and citywide budget growth.
Department of Aviation headcount is up a net 81 positions, the largest departmental staffing increase in the 2024 budget proposal. New titles created in the budget include: 28 airport information ambassador positions, seven aviation security office trainers, three plumbing inspectors, two airport accountability directors, two information security managers, an assistant payroll manager, a graphics arts and reproduction supervisor, and an inquiry aide.
In addition to new titles, the budget significantly increases the department’s laborer positions, up 18 positions across multiple titles.
Outside contracting, via the professional and technical services appropriation, is the largest Department of Aviation appropriation by far in the 2024 budget proposal, making up roughly 60% of the DoA budget at $846.8 million. In addition to being the department’s largest overall appropriation, professional and technical services also saw the largest net increase, a $157 million jump from the previous year.

Historical Context

As a self-funded department, the Department of Aviation’s budget resources are less dependent on overall city revenues. Appropriations are typically closely tied to revenues from O’Hare and Midway airport operations: the higher the city’s airport revenues, the more funds are available for DoA budgets. However, the large increase in DoA appropriations starting in 2021 was driven by federal pandemic relief funds in the form of CARES Act grants, not by a significant increase in O’Hare or Midway revenues.

From 2011-2023, the department budget grew at an average rate of 7.7% per year. Departmental budgets overall increased an average of 5.9% per year over the same time period, while the total city budget including Finance General appropriations grew at an average rate of 8.2% annually.

The Department of Aviation’s budgeted workforce grew at a rate of roughly 3.7% annually from 2011-2023. Overall budgeted positions for the city remained relatively flat across the same time periods, with minor year-to-year fluctuations averaging out to an overall growth rate of -0.04%.

The Department of Aviation is the third-largest department by appropriations in the 2024 budget proposal, following CPD and CDOT. It is fifth-largest by headcount, following CPD, CFD, DWM, and DSS. Departmental appropriations are up 18.2% in the 2024 budget proposal, significantly higher than average historic growth and citywide budget growth.

Staffing

Department of Aviation headcount is up a net 81 positions, the largest departmental staffing increase in the 2024 budget proposal (apart from the creation of DoTI as a new department, which appears as an increase from zero to 205 positions, but in practical effect is a reduction of IT staff positions from the former AIS department.)

New titles created in the budget include: 28 airport information ambassador positions, seven aviation security office trainers, three plumbing inspectors, two airport accountability directors, two information security managers, an assistant payroll manager, a graphics arts and reproduction supervisor, and an inquiry aide.

In addition to new titles, the budget significantly increases the department’s laborer positions, up 18 positions across multiple titles.

Appropriations

Largest Appropriations

Outside contracting, via the professional and technical services appropriation, is the largest Department of Aviation appropriation by far in the 2024 budget proposal, making up roughly 60% of the DoA budget at $846.8 million.

Salaries and wages on payroll is the next-largest appropriation at $189 million, 13.2% of the total departmental budget.

Change from Previous Year

In addition to being the department’s largest overall appropriation, professional and technical services also saw the largest net increase, a $157 million jump from the previous year.

The largest proportional increase was a 148.4% increase in the uniform allowance, up $321,000 from the previous year.

Aviation’s only significant appropriation decrease came in the purchase of IT hardware, which dropped $1.4 million from the 2023 budget, a roughly -30.2% decrease.