What is a reliever airport designed to accomplish?

A reliever airport is primarily designed to redirect air traffic from crowded commercial airports. The concept is that by providing an alternative location for air traffic, particularly general aviation and smaller regional flights, it helps to alleviate congestion at larger, busier airports. This redirection not only allows for a smoother flow of air traffic but also improves the overall efficiency of the airspace in the surrounding area.

While enhancing capacity and reducing congestion is certainly a key benefit of reliever airports, the specific objective they are designed to accomplish is the redirection of traffic, which aligns closely with the operational needs of larger airports facing high volumes of air traffic. Similarly, providing emergency landing options and facilitating cargo operations are functions that may be supported by reliever airports, but these are not their primary goals.