Abstract: In Australia, the role, scale and meaning of major urban airports have changed over the past decade as a result of corporate and economic transformations. Modern airports are very different from traditional airports as they emerge as important sub-regional activity centres. As a result of these changes, airport impacts now pose considerable challenges for both airport operation and the surrounding urban and regional environment. The current issues surrounding airport development and expansion need to be defined by an understanding of the complex roles and spatial interactions now associated with airports. The airport can no longer be managed in isolation from the metropolis that it serves. However, a conceptual framework for understanding regional conflicts and opportunities is yet to be developed. This paper identifies and documents a range of issues and impacts to assist in understanding the changing role of airports in Australia. These various dimensions are conceptualised as interfaces. Interface areas include land use, infrastructure, economics, and governance. The paper provides a conceptual framework for understanding the interfaces that typify major airports, allowing for comparative analyses across a range of airport contexts and to inform policy prescriptions.