Definition
An FAA designation for a general aviation airport that has been identified as helping to relieve congestion at a nearby commercial service primary airport, while also providing improved general aviation access to the surrounding community. Reliever airports are part of the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) and may be publicly or privately owned.
Plain English
A smaller airport officially recognized by the FAA for taking on general aviation traffic that would otherwise crowd a busy nearby airline airport.
Context Anchor
You may see RL in FAA airport listings, airport planning material, or acronym sections when an airport’s role in the national airport system is being identified.
Derivation
‘Reliever’ comes from ‘relieve,’ meaning to ease a burden. The airport eases the traffic burden on a busier commercial airport nearby.
Why Pilots Care
GA pilots may be routed to or choose these airports to avoid delays, slot restrictions, or high traffic at primary commercial hubs.
Intuition Check
Do not read “reliever” as an emergency-use airport or a backup runway. Here it means an airport whose normal role is to reduce traffic pressure on a busier nearby airport.
Example Sentence 1
Rather than fly into the Class B airport, the pilot chose a nearby reliever airport with shorter taxi times and lower fees.
Example Sentence 2
RL airports are included in the national airport system to keep commercial hubs operating efficiently.