Boise Airport Director Rebecca Hupp to retire after 14 years in role

Boise Airport Director Rebecca Hupp will retire from the City of Boise on June 19 after 14 years of leadership that transformed the airport into a major regional hub, city officials announced.

Hupp, who took the helm at Boise Airport in 2012, guided the facility through a period of notable expansion. Passenger traffic increased 82% over the past decade, and the airport set records for four consecutive years in traveler increases, reaching 5 million passengers in 2025, a milestone that coincides with the airport’s 100th anniversary of operation.

Under her direction, the airport expanded air service routes, completed major infrastructure upgrades and attracted private-sector investment. Projects completed during her tenure include terminal expansions, new commercial hangar facilities and enhanced parking, security and airfield operations. A new car rental center adjacent to the main terminal is nearing completion, and a planned expansion of Concourse A will add 10 gates to the facility.

“Serving the Boise community and leading this exceptional airport team has been the honor of a lifetime,” Hupp said. “I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together and grateful for the partnerships, employees and community support that have helped Boise Airport continue to grow and thrive.”

Mayor Lauren McLean credited Hupp with bringing vision and consistency to the airport’s rapid growth.

“Rebecca has had an incredible tenure at the Boise Airport through strong leadership and clear vision that has welcomed unprecedented and seamless growth,” McLean said. “Her contributions to Boise, both professionally and personally, will have a lasting impact on our community.”

McLean also highlighted the tangible changes Hupp championed, including new nonstop routes, a locally focused concessions program featuring Boise restaurants and retailers, and preparations for the airport’s next century of operation.

“Our airport’s growth is a reflection of the strength of this community and the region it serves,” McLean said in an interview from March of this year about Hupp’s impact in the role. “As we enter the next century of flight in our community, Rebecca has [had] her eye on what’s ahead.”

Hupp was recently honored during the Idaho Business Review’s annual CEO of Influence awards as the 2026 Link of Distinction, only the fourth person and the first woman to receive the honor.

A Massachusetts native, Hupp’s more than 30-year aviation career took her from an internship at Boston Logan International Airport to leadership roles at Kansas City, Aberdeen Regional Airport in South Dakota and Bangor International Airport in Maine before landing in Boise. Throughout her career, she emphasized the value of leadership over technical expertise, describing her time at Aberdeen Regional, where she managed a team of about 10, as her pivotal shift “from being the subject matter expert to being the leader.”

Following her retirement, Hupp will join an aviation construction company based in Dallas, Texas.

Boise Airport Deputy Director of Finance and Business Development Kathleen Watkins will serve as interim director during the transition. City leadership and senior airport staff will oversee recruitment, with additional details to be shared in coming weeks. Airport operations and ongoing projects are expected to continue without interruption.

This story was written with the use of artificial intelligence with human oversight.