Airports Council International is the association of the worlds airports. It is a non profit organization, whose prime purpose is to advance the interests of airports and to promote professional excellence in airport management and operations. By fostering cooperation amongst airports, world aviation organizations and business partners, ACI makes a significant contribution to providing the travelling public with an air transport system that is safe, secure, efficient and environmentally responsible.

As the international association of the worlds commercial service airports, ACI represents the collective positions of its membership, which are established through committees and endorsed by the ACI Governing Board. These views reflect the common interests of the global airports community.

In carrying out this work, ACI organizational goals can be summarized as follows:

• Maximize the contributions of airports to maintaining and developing a safe, secure, environmentally compatible and efficient air transport system.
• Achieve cooperation among all segments of the aviation industry and their stakeholders as well as with governments and international organizations.
• Influence international and national legislation, rules, policies, standards and practices based on established policies representing airports interests and priorities.
• Advance the development of the aviation system by enhancing public awareness of the economic and social importance of airport development.
• Maximize cooperation and mutual assistance among airports.
• Provide members with industry knowledge, advice and assistance, and foster professional excellence in airport management and operations.
• Build ACIs worldwide organizational capacity and resources to serve all members effectively and efficiently.

As of 1 December 2010, ACI counts 580 members operating over 1650 airports in 179 countries and territories. In 2009, airports worldwide welcomed 4.8 billion arriving and departing passengers and handled 79.8 million metric tonnes of cargo and 74.1 million movements. ACI regular members represent over 96 per cent of the worlds passenger traffic and are owners or operators, other than airlines, of one or more civil airports with commercial air services.

In the 2010 General Assembly it was agreed to move ACI World Headquarters from Geneva, Switzerland to Montreal, Canada. The ACI World Office incorporates the ACI World ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) Bureau and has five Regional Offices:

• ACI-North America (based in Washington, D.C.), which represents most commercial airports in the United States and Canada

• ACI-Europe (based in Brussels, Belgium)

• ACI-Latin America and Caribbean (based in Quito, Ecuador)

• ACI Asia-Pacific (based in Hong Kong), encompassing mainland Asia, Australasia, the island nations in the Pacific Ocean, Vancouver (Canada), San Francisco (USA) and Hawaii (USA).

• ACI-Africa (based in Casablanca, Morocco)

ACI is member of the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG).

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