This paper will question whether traditional cost approaches apply to the valuation of an airport now that they are no longer public utilities but very much commercial enterprises. In doing so, the research explores the business model, the ownership and the importance of non-aviation business for an airport. It will examine the principles of company valuation and International Accounting Standards in determining an airport’s value and argue that an airport can be viewed as a specialist property company consisting of a series of separable components which can be valued using common property valuation methods based upon value rather than cost.