Most of the money will go to big airports with commercial airline service. They will share $6.5 billion based on the number of passenger boardings, plus another $800 million to offer rent relief to companies that operate concessions such as food and retail outlets in terminals.

Airports must keep at least 90% of the workers they had before the pandemic to receive one of the grants, which will handled by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Congress approved the money as part of a pandemic-relief measure that President Joe Biden signed in March. The Biden administration said the grants would protect airport jobs and construction projects as travel recovers.