The Trump administration is again proposing to reduce federal support for the Essential Air Service program, this time targeting $372 million in discretionary funding as part of its fiscal year 2027 budget request.
Published on Friday, the budget says EAS “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.” It adds that spending on the program is “out of control, more than doubling between 2021 and 2025.”
The administration said it would “rein in EAS subsidies” through what it described as a mix of reforms to eligibility rules and subsidy rates, while still maintaining the program. The budget does not outline those proposed changes in detail.
Repeated Attempts
The latest push follows a similar attempt in the administration’s FY2026 request. Congress ultimately rejected that proposal and provided $514 million for Essential Air Service in the enacted transportation funding bill, with Senate appropriators saying the measure rejected the White House’s earlier bid to cut the program by half and also prevented the Department of Transportation from “haphazardly terminating” EAS contracts.
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The Department of Transportation says the program is meant to preserve access to the national air transportation system for smaller communities that otherwise may not receive scheduled air service. As of 2024, DOT said EAS supported 177 communities, including 65 in Alaska and 112 in the contiguous U.S., Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.
Essential Air Service has long drawn scrutiny in Washington, but it has also repeatedly survived proposed reductions. The FY2027 budget marks the second straight year the Trump administration has sought a major cut to the program.
