SARAA was incorporated on September 9, 1997, and officially took over control of HIA and CXY airports from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on January 1, 1998.
The counties and cities placed a major emphasis on air transportation that led to a study of the aviation needs of the region.
In 1996, the results of the study led to the formation of the Airport Divestiture Group (ADG, chaired by Robert F. Frazier) to negotiate the divestiture of both Harrisburg International Airport (HIA) and Capital City Airport (CXY) from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Aviation to an independent regional entity.
SARAA now operates four airports in the greater Harrisburg metropolitan area.
GRA opened in 1926 and had been a privately operated general aviation service airport.