The program would see a $308 million cut if the budget is enacted.
A United Express CRJ-200 operated by SkyWest arriving into Gillette-Campbell County Airport (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
The Trump administration is setting its sights on the Essential Air Service program as part of its 2026 “skinny” budget proposal. Overall, the White House is looking to cut $163 billion in federal spending.
Created following the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, the EAS program is a federal government initiative established to ensure that small communities maintain a minimal level of scheduled air service. The program aims to connect these communities, which might otherwise be unprofitable for airlines to serve, to the national air transportation network.
One of Advanced Air’s King Air 350s in Silver City, N.M. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
The Department of Transportation subsidizes air carriers to provide service to eligible communities, typically guaranteeing two round trips per day to a larger hub airport.
Eligibility for the EAS program is based on factors such as a community’s distance from a large or medium hub airport and the average number of enplanements per service day. The DOT establishes contracts with air carriers, generally for a term of two to four years, through a competitive bidding process.
In its discretionary funding request for 2026, the Trump administration claims that the EAS program “funnels taxpayer dollars to airlines to subsidize half-empty flights from airports that are within easy commuting distance from each other, while also failing to effectively provide assistance to most rural air travelers.”
The administration further states that spending on these subsidies is “out of control.” Between 2021 and 2025, it has more than doubled, including a slight increase in funding as part of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.
According to the budget request, the administration plans to “rein in” EAS subsidies “by proposing a mix of reforms to adjust eligibility and subsidy rates to help rural communities’ air transportation needs in a more sustainable manner.”
If the budget proposal is enacted, the program would be cut by $308 million. In 2023, EAS subsidies totaled around $394 million.
The spending plan was released on Friday and will be subject to approval by Congress.
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