The Subcommittee on Aviation has jurisdiction over all aspects of civil aviation, including safety, infrastructure, labor, and international issues. Within this scope of responsibilities, the Subcommittee has jurisdiction over the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a modal administration within the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). This jurisdiction covers all programs within the FAA as well as aviation programs of the USDOT with respect to economic regulation of air carriers and passenger airline service. In addition, the Subcommittee has jurisdiction over commercial space transportation (currently shared with the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology), the National Mediation Board, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). While jurisdiction over the NTSB is shared with other subcommittees, the Subcommittee on Aviation traditionally takes the lead on NTSB-related issues.

Issues within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee on Aviation include:

• Air traffic control modernization
• Airport capacity
• Airport Improvement Program grants
• Airspace
• Airline competition and antitrust issues
• Aviation safety
• Aviation security (issues that affect commerce and safety)
• Commercial aviation and air carrier operations
• Commercial space transportation
• Airline consumer protection
• Environmental requirements
• Essential Air Service and other small-community air service programs
• General aviation
• Unmanned aircraft systems
• International aviation
• National Mediation Board
• National Transportation Safety Board
• War risk insurance
• Use of navigable airspace