In a memo to FBOs, DeKalb County said it will begin implementing landing fees for transient aircraft at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (KPDK), just northeast of Atlanta, starting April 1.
Under the plan, the airport will assess weight-based fees of $4 per 1,000 pounds for aircraft between 9,001 and 20,000 pounds, and $6 per 1,000 pounds above that threshold. Maximum takeoff weight will be rounded to the nearest 1,000 pounds—putting many business jet arrivals into the hundreds of dollars per landing.
Based aircraft are generally exempt, along with government, air ambulance, nonprofit and public service flights, and operators with existing agreements. The county also noted that billing and collection will be handled by third-party provider Vector Airport Systems, rather than the FBO.
Airport officials describe the move as a cost-recovery measure tied to infrastructure, maintenance, and long-term financial sustainability.
“A landing fee is a fair method for collecting revenue from transient users,” the memo states, adding that the additional funds could reduce reliance on Airport Improvement Program grants and help close operational budget gaps.
The change reflects a broader trend as more airports adopt landing fee programs—moves that have also drawn legislative attention. Lawmakers in Florida and Arizona have introduced bills that would prohibit the use of ADS-B data to calculate or collect such fees.
Meanwhile, AOPA is urging pilots to support the Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act (PAPA), which would limit ADS-B data use to safety-related purposes. The group is working to advance the measure in Congress, either as a standalone bill or as part of broader aviation legislation.
As a key reliever in the Atlanta metro area, DeKalb-Peachtree Airport continues to see heavy demand. The airport reports averaging roughly 230,000 takeoffs and landings annually for more than three decades, making it the second-busiest airport in Georgia behind Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.