Modernizing Airport Billing: How SAP BRIM Helps Unlock Revenue Potential
Global airports are losing up to 10% of their non-aero revenue to billing inefficiencies and many donât even know it. This is the wake-up call facing airport CFOs and COOs today.
Airports have evolved into commercial hubs, customer experience engines, and increasingly, digital ecosystems. With over 40% of global airport revenues now coming from non-aeronautical sources such as parking, retail, premium lounges, and advertising (ACI World), the shift from traditional aero-based income to diversified, usage-driven revenue streams is well underway.
But with diversification comes complexity.
In our recent conversations at SAP Sapphire and the Airports Innovation Summit in Brussels, airport leaders echoed a shared concern: fragmented revenue systems, lack of billing transparency, and missed opportunities for new monetization models are holding them back.
This blog explores the emerging challenges airports face in revenue capture and management â and introduces SAP BRIM as a transformative solution already making waves in other industries, now poised to redefine how airports think about billing, transparency, and value recovery. How SAP BRIM, when implemented by a partner with deep industry understanding like Acuiti Labs, offers a future-proof path forward.
The Top Challenges Facing Airport Revenue & Billing Operations

- Revenue Leakage Across Channels
Research indicates that poor billing integration and fragmented data can result in 5-10% revenue leakage annually (IATA). In the context of airports, this includes lost income from concessions, under-reported usage, or delayed billing cycles. - Inflexible Billing for Emerging Services
As airports introduce subscription-based offerings (e.g., parking passes, premium service bundles), legacy billing systems are unequipped to manage recurring pricing, proration, and entitlements. - Lack of Real-Time Visibility and Recognition
With global compliance standards like ASC 606 and IFRS 15, revenue recognition is no longer optional â it must be accurate, auditable, and real-time. Manual spreadsheets and siloed data cannot support this. - Poor Customer Experience Due to Billing Gaps
A mismatch between services used and charges billed creates trust issues and friction, especially in VIP passenger journeys and frequent flyer services.
SAP BRIM: Designed for Complexity, Built for Airports
SAP Billing and Revenue Innovation Management (BRIM) isnât just another billing platform – itâs the architecture behind real-time revenue recognition, subscription enablement, and usage-based monetization. The very capabilities airports need to stay profitable and future ready.
Already trusted by telecoms, utilities, and transport operators and now gaining traction in the aviation sector â SAP BRIM is increasingly being adopted by airports to manage usage-based and subscription revenue. It offers:
- Usage mediation and rating
- Real-time invoicing and dynamic pricing
- Centralized contract and entitlement management
- Integrated compliance and financial reconciliation
Itâs the backbone technology for any airport looking to modernize its Quote-to-Cash (Q2C) lifecycle.
Acuiti Labs: Bringing the SAP BRIM Advantage to Airports
- AcuitiAirport Accelerator: A pre-configured extension of SAP BRIM, designed specifically for airports. It includes plug-and-play modules for aero/non-aero billing, usage capture, subscription logic, and leakage monitoring.
- Airport Industry Experience & Insights: From implementing SAP BRIM at leading international airports to engaging in dialogue at the Airports Innovation Summit in Brussels and SAP Sapphire recently, our exposure to the industry’s inner workings runs deep. We’ve heard firsthand from airport executives across finance, commercial, and digital teamsâand we’ve also delivered tailored solutions addressing the very challenges they raised: inconsistent billing flows, lack of usage traceability, and untapped pricing flexibility.
- Cross-Industry Learnings: Our work in ports, rail, and public infrastructure brings valuable perspective on high-volume, multi-entity billingâwhich airports are increasingly mirroring.
The Business Impact We Deliver
Challenge | Acuiti + SAP BRIM Solution | Result |
Billing leakage | Usage-based billing and audit trails | 15-25% improvement in billing accuracy |
Static pricing | Real-time rate adjustments | 3-7% uplift in non-aero revenue |
Subscription complexity | Modular BRIM implementation | New recurring revenue streams |
Recognition and compliance gaps | Automated revenue recognition (ASC 606) | Improved audit readiness, fewer errors |
CX breakdowns | Transparent invoicing and bundling | Greater trust and passenger satisfaction |
Closing Thoughts: Turning a Revenue Challenge into a Strategic Advantage
The business of airports is changingâand the systems that support them must evolve too. As leaders explore new revenue models and digital-first services, billing infrastructure can no longer be the bottleneck.
SAP BRIM, tailored through Acuiti Labsâ industry-aligned approach, provides a proven and scalable foundation for airports to:
- Capture every dollar of value
- Recognize revenue with confidence
- Serve passengers with seamless experiences
Letâs Talk
Explore how our BRIM accelerator can help modernize your airportâs revenue model. Connect with us for a strategic workshop or insights from our latest airport engagements.